


One Demon's Punishment is Another Man's Pleasure

by JustKiddun, SinfullySweet



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, F/M, Illustrations, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:07:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 58,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24702808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustKiddun/pseuds/JustKiddun, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinfullySweet/pseuds/SinfullySweet
Summary: "Humans, dirty, evil, despicable creatures. They don't deserve to live. The entire race should be wiped from existence, and I have half a mind to start right now!"The twins, Belphegor and Beelzebub are punished in the strangest way possible for their crimes against Devildom.But can you call falling in love a punishment?
Relationships: Beelzebub (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s), Belphegor (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 84





	1. Twins in Twin Hills

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is an alternative universe wherein  
> CANON SPOILERS:
> 
> Belphie isn't locked in the attic by Lucifer, but rather his threats go ignored until it's too late.

  
  


Under the hot, blinding sun, two men walked down the quiet shoulder of an unknown, small country route. Their shadows hung around their feet as the afternoon sun rose high in the sky overhead. The taller of the two squinted at an oncoming tractor, inching its way down the narrow road, purring loudly; thick, black smoke drifting from the tall exhaust pipe at the front of the machine. He wiped away the sweat that stung his eyes, following the shorter man into the ditch to give the oncoming vehicle enough room to pass. They had been walking for almost an hour. In that time, the smaller man grumbled about the heat and how human bodies were so susceptible to it while the taller one stripped himself of his shirt.

"Belphie," He said, pointing off into the distance, "Is that a town?"

The brother walked to the top of the hill and peered down the other side, finding a small village nestled in the valley.

"Let's go, Beel. If we don't find some food or water soon, our punishment will be over before it begins." The other one replied, making his way down the steep street.

Beel nodded and draped his shirt around his neck. The word punishment made him shudder. While it was Belphie who really committed the crime, he never blamed his twin. In fact, Beel felt he was at least partially guilty as well, and Lord Diavolo must have felt the same. Otherwise, he wouldn't be there with Belphie, traversing the quiet highway in search of… something.

The two of them had woken up not long before they began their walk, nestled together under a large tree in the middle of a dense forest. Unsure of where to go, Belphie took the lead in a random direction until they found the solitary highway, which they followed until the forest melted away into vast fields of farmlands. Beel had mentioned stopping at the first farmhouse to ask for water but his brother responded with a click of his tongue in disappointment. He should have known better. They were demons. They don't ask humans for help. At least, they used to be demons.

Another half-hour later, the brothers were still nowhere close to their destination. Belphegor huffed in annoyance as he plodded down the hill with his twin at his heels. One or two more cars went by, offering the two men some short relief from the stifling heat with the wind created by the passing vehicles. The next, however, pulled up onto the shoulder not far from where the men were walking. A short, balding man with tan, weathered skin, stepped out of the grey and rusted truck, and waved to them.

"Y'all need a ride into town?" He called to the brothers as soon as they were within earshot.

Belphie turned to the ginger, questioning his twin's opinion. Beel knew Belphie wouldn't hesitate to turn down the offer had he been alone, choosing to die a slow death before accepting help from lowly humans, but with the enormous grumble from Beel's stomach, and the pouty look he threw at the smaller man, Belphie relented.

"Sure, that would be great!" Belphie said, plastering a fake smile on his lips.

"Hop in the back." The man said, pulling down the back hatch so the two could climb in. "Where y'all headed anyway?"

Beel looked down at his brother who simply shrugged at the man's words. Truth was, they didn't know where they were going. While both of them had, at one point, visited the human world, it had been a long time for them and the world had changed so much.

The wrinkled man gave them a wary look as they climbed into the back of the bed. He closed the hatch and walked around to the cab of his truck, whistling as he went.

The ride down the hill was bumpy and uncomfortable as the old truck bounced along the old road. At one point, Beel attempted to hold onto the side of the truck, only to have his hand burned by the metal. Even still, the brothers welcomed the ride. The wind caused by the rushing vehicle was refreshing, to say the least, and helped cool the larger twin enough for him to pull the shirt he carried back over his head.

The small village at the bottom of the hill quickly sprang up around them. Beel observed the villagers going about their day to day lives as the truck slowed in the city limits. He saw a young couple arguing at the gas station, an old woman filling her bird feeder, a man walking his tiny dog along with a handful of other people.

It was a quaint little place nestled between two large hills that could almost qualify as mountains with how steep they were. Although a highway did run through the center of town, it wasn’t one of the interstate ones, leaving the place rather undisturbed by passing cars.

The older twin looked at his brother who held a look of disdain on his soft features. For Beel, this punishment was a walk in the park. He didn't harbor feelings of hatred toward humans like Belphie did. Perhaps that was why Diavolo sent them there together.

The truck slowed as it turned off the main street into a parking lot between two older looking buildings. The nearly identical buildings were slightly rundown homes in need of some repairs. The only difference between them was a sign in the grass in front of the home of left reading: Home Away From Home Bed and Breakfast.

Beel stared at the sign for at least half a minute. The final word on the sign had his stomach grumbling even more than before. He was hungry, but not as hungry as he usually felt. It was a strange feeling for him. He hadn't eaten in hours, and yet, he felt like a small meal would be enough to satisfy his cravings.

The man who drove them exited his rusty, old pickup and lowered the back for the brothers to climb out. They both could have easily jumped over the side of the truck, but since the man seemed so insistent on doing things his own way, they both waited.

"Welcome to Twin Hills." He said, raising the back of the bed after the two men jumped out.

Beel's stomach grumbled again, this time loud enough for the man to hear. He chuckled and looked them over.

"No luggage, I see. Y'all hitchhikers or fugitives?" He asked.

Belphegor shifted his weight from one foot to the other and slouched against his twin's shoulder.

"Neither," Belphie replied, stifling a yawn. "We were abandoned by our brothers."

Beel dropped his eyes to the ground. He didn't believe the others really abandoned them. They all spoke up against Diavolo's original sentence, all but Lucifer that is.

"It's a pity to hear that. Why don't y'all come on in and get something to eat. On the house of course. My wife, Martha, has a penchant for taking in abandoned animals such as yourselves and I know if I didn't do something to help y'all I'd get an earful." The man smiled, showing off his yellowed, crooked teeth.

Beel felt his brother tense at them being compared to animals. To them, humans were lesser beings and animals even less so. The larger twin nodded and threw Belphie a comforting glance. He knew that while Belphie wasn't keen on the situation they were in, he also knew Belphie was much too tired to put up a fight just then.

The two followed the older man into the homely establishment into the small foyer. In front of them was a set of stairs leading to the upper half of the house, to the left sat the check-in desk where a greying, brunette sat. She tipped her head up when she heard the door open.

"It's about time you got home, John. I was beginning to worry!" The woman, presumably Martha, said while getting to her feet.

"Sorry about that, dear. Found these two walking down the highway and picked 'em up. They seem hungry." The man replied, gesturing to the twins.

Martha's eyes jumped to the two strangers standing awkwardly behind John. A wide smile broke across her pale features and her hazel eyes lit up. Picking up a cane that rested against the desk, she carefully hobbled out from behind it.

"Why didn't you say something earlier? Come now, let's get you boys something to eat!" She exclaimed almost excitedly before leading them through an archway on the right that led into a small dining room.

The room held six round tables decorated with bubble gum pink tablecloths and an arrangement of flowers in cute crystal vases in the center. Each table was aligned with four sturdy oak chairs with plush cushions that matched the tables. Martha urged the men to sit down before hurrying as fast as she could to the back of the room and through the swinging door to the kitchen.

"We should go." Belphie hissed quietly so John, who was still at the counter, wouldn't overhear.

Beel's stomach growled at the twins' words, effectively quieting him. Belphie laid himself against the tablecloth in defeat and closed his eyes. The larger of the two could tell by the way his brother was breathing that he had fallen asleep.

That was one thing Beel always admired about his twin. No matter what was going on or where he was, anywhere Belphie could lay his head, he could sleep.

Beel turned his attention out of the bay window they were seated near and watched the townspeople that passed by. He felt a strange sense of curiosity take him over as he did so. He spotted the same man they saw before walking with a new dog. A larger, meaner looking breed. It was sleek in shape, black in color, brown pointed ears, and a long snout. The beast reminded the redhead of his brother Lucifer. He sighed, feeling a painful twinge in his chest. Thinking of their eldest brother hurt, knowing he hadn't stood up to Diavolo for them.

Beel shifted his gaze away from the dog to the library across the road just as a petite young brunette dressed in a canary yellow t-shirt and white jeans exited the building. She was carrying a handful of books in her arms. He watched her as she confidently walked down the sidewalk until she was out of his view. This woman reminded him of Satan and his love of books.

Before he had a chance to spot someone else and to be reminded of yet another brother, Martha returned carrying a tray in one hand. On it was three glasses of water and three steaming meals for the brothers. Beel leaned over and gently shook Belphie awake. He could smell the food long before Martha made it to the table, making the twin begin to salivate with anticipation. The woman stood by their table, leaned her cane against it, then moved the tray in front of her. With her shaky hands, she placed the tray down and began to pass out the plates.

"I hope you two don't mind me joining you." She said with a smile.

Beel shook his head and thanked her for the meal. He looked down at the thick, large plate before him. It housed a few pieces of fried chicken, a scoop of mixed vegetables, and a healthy amount of homemade mac and cheese. Belphie raised his head from the table and pulled the plate to him, offering his thanks as well.

During the course of the meal, Beel kept quiet, savoring each and every bite he took. Normally, he would have dug right in, shoveling the food down his throat as fast as he could, but here he knew it was better to eat slowly as to not be impolite. While they ate, Martha questioned the twins about where they had come from, why they didn't carry luggage, where they were headed, and many others. Beel kept quiet, enjoying the meal set before him as Belphie quickly fabricated a backstory for them.

"We're from California. Got into some family troubles and we were sent away with nothing but the clothes on our backs. For the last while, we've lived off the kindness of strangers." The younger one explained.

Beel was surprised at how quickly Belphie managed to come up with all that in such a short amount of time, but his twin was always intellectually quicker. Martha pursed her lips in contemplation before excusing herself from the table. She carried her half-finished meal with her as she carefully hobbled over to the front desk and began speaking with John in hushed tones. Belphie eyed the older couple and leaned over to whisper in his brother's ear.

"They're going to ask us to leave. Just you watch." He said, scowling at the others.

Beel turned to look at the couple still whispering. Martha looked rather excited about something, while John nodded along with her words, eating the unfinished plate of food she took. To Beel, they didn't look like people who had any ill intent, but he didn't know humans as well as Belphie did.

A few minutes later, John left the desk and entered the small dining room. He took a seat in the chair Martha once sat in and relaxed against the back. Out of the corner of his eye, Beel saw Belphie instinctively tense up.

"I've got a proposition for y'all if y'all are interested in hearing me out." John started, folding his callused hands on the table.

"We're listening," Belphie replied, his tone suggesting he was expecting the worst.

"I've been getting a little rickety in my old age and I'm not able to get things done around here as fast as I used to. Got a fence in the back I've been tryin' to get put up before fall and I ain't even got the posts in." John went on.

Beel could sense his brother beginning to get annoyed with the older man. Belphie preferred when people (or demons,) were straightforward with what they wanted from him, but both John and his wife seemed like the types of people who would spend twenty minutes telling you an unrelated story before offering the information one wanted.

"What do you need from us?" Beel asked, throwing his brother a comforting glance first.

"Martha suggested, since y'all have no money, no clothes and nowhere to go, y'all stay here for some time and work for us. We'll give y'all a room and three full meals a day in exchange. Might even throw in a couple bucks at the end of each day depending on how long y'all worked." John said, glancing between the two brothers.

Beel and Belphie looked at each other. It wasn't a bad deal. Work in exchange for a place for them to sleep and food on top of it all seemed like a dream come true. As much as Beel could tell Belphie disliked the idea of relying on anyone else, there wasn't much they could do. This might be the only opportunity to come their way. If they say no, there's a good chance they won't survive a week.

"What kind of work do you have in mind?" Belphie asked, turning his violet-magenta eyes to John.

"Well, I was hopin' to take this big guy out back and put him to work on that fence I mentioned, while you help Martha around inside. She had a nasty fall a couple weeks ago and just isn't as spry as she used to be. Struggles with the stairs somethin' fierce."

Belphie leaned back and contemplated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing to Beel's glee. Beel didn't want to admit it to his brother, but he was already enjoying himself in the small village tucked away from modern society. The people seemed friendly, the place was quiet, and Martha's mac and cheese was probably the best human food he'd ever had the chance to eat.

"Now, y'all got some IDs so I can get a room booked for y'all?" John asked, pushing back the chair to stand.

As the heavy, wooden legs screeched across the floor, Beel reached for his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. It was a natural reaction for him to do so. It never occurred to him that in the human world, the names Beelzebub and Bephelgor might get them some funny looks. When he peered inside of his near-empty, leather wallet, he found two small plastic cards inside. One had a name and string of numbers on it, the other was a driver's license for California. He blinked a few times and looked at his brother, finding him handing over an identical card.

"Oh, shoot where we're my manners? All this time and I never asked y'all's names!" John said, taking the IDs from the two men and looking them over. "Nathaniel and Noah Darte. Good strong names. And lookie here, y'all are twins. Y'all look nothin' alike. Funny how them genetics work." John chuckled.

He told them to sit tight while he went back to the front desk and imported their information into the computer. Beel finished his meal and pushed the plate away, rubbing his stomach. For the first time since he could remember, he felt full.

"Belphie," he whispered, leaning close to his brother, "I'm not hungry anymore."

"You're not a demon anymore, so you're no longer the Avatar of Gluttony," Belphie replied, waving his hand dismissively.

"Ah," Beel replied.

Belphie's words reminded him of the predicament they were in. It made sense that being human meant his unending hunger ceased, but it still felt strange being full after one plate. While he silently contemplated what being a human meant, John returned to them with their identifications in hand and a set of keys for each of them.

"Got y'all in room number six." He said handing each twin their card and key.

Beel looked down at the small metal object in his hand. He curled his fingers around it and tightened his lips. Not wanting to admit it, but being away from Lucifer's watchful gaze, he was beginning to feel free.

"Noah, why don't you start by cleaning up after y'all's lunch and Nate, can I call you Nate? You come out back with me." John said, patting Beel's strong shoulder.

The ginger stood up, threw a look at his brother, and followed the older man through the kitchen, into the backyard.

Outside of the door was a small patio with a few tables set up under the awning, offering some shade to people who would likely wish to dine outside. The yard had a small in-ground pool and a little swing set for children. The border of the property had been staked and lined with string to mark where the property line ended and where the fence would go.

"Alright, kiddo. Grab ahold of that auger and we'll get to work." John said, pointing to a strange contraption that had a large, spiral tip.

Beel picked up the machine with one hand and followed John to the first stake. The older man pulled the piece of wood out and tossed it to the side, then he instructed Beel to set the tip of the auger into the hole. John took a hold of the contraption and turned it on. Beel took a step back and watched as the machine's spiral tip spun and pushed into the dirt. The screw-like end pulled the loose soil and small rocks it came across out of the hole it was making. The ex-demon was fascinated with how humans were so good at making their lives easier.

After the first hole was dug, John requested Beel move the auger to the next spot. By the fourth hole, Beel learned John only required him to lift heavy objects. The ex-demon didn't mind. He tried to equate it to some of the workouts he did while living in Devildom.

Eventually, the two men finished digging the holes needed for the posts and took a break. Beel took a seat in the wicker chair under the shade of the awning and turned toward the sound of someone stepping out of the back kitchen door.

"Martha asked me to bring this out," Belphie said in a dead-pan tone as he set down a pitcher of lemonade and some glasses.

John chuckled and thanked Belphie before suggesting he take a break, as well. The older man then grumbled about needing the washroom and excused himself, leaving the twins alone. Beel helped himself to the lemonade, taking huge gulps of the somewhat sweet, somewhat sour liquid. Moving the auger for John wasn't much work, but the sun was hot and made him incredibly thirsty.

"These humans have me doing dishes and cleaning the rooms," Belphie grumbled, taking a glass for himself.

Beel set down his empty glass and exhaled heavily, feeling the lemonade hit the spot. The wicker chair creaked under his weight as he leaned against the back. Belphie's hatred toward humans wasn't exactly unwarranted, but the larger twin felt since they were given this punishment, the least they could do was try to enjoy the sixty or so years they'd be here until Diavolo calls them home upon their mortal death. What were sixty years compared to the thousands they had already lived?

Beel opened his mouth to reply but stopped when John shuffled back out onto the deck. He smiled at the two boys, his pale blue eyes sparkling in the light of the sun.

"You ready for the real work to begin?" He said to the ginger.

Beel glanced at Belphie before returning his gaze to John and nodded. The older man plodded down the steps, into the short green grass. When they reached the first hole they had dug earlier, Beel turned back around, catching sight of his brother slipping back in through the glass door. He was worried about his blue and white-haired brother, but until they were given an opportunity to speak, he'd have to hold his tongue.

"Pick up one of those big posts and bring it over here." John urged, pointing to a pile of cut wood.

Beel grunted an agreement and set to work. Just as he was returning with the post in his arms, John told him to put one end into the hole, then to grab a bag of stones. Beel did as he was told, tearing open the bag and pouring a few inches of stones around the post while John held it steady. Once the stones were in, John had the younger man take over holding the post as he set to work mixing some cement to pour into the hole.

By the time they were halfway done setting up the posts, the ginger's shirt was effectively drenched with sweat. He peeled off the damp cloth from his torso, exposing his well-toned upper body. His muscles glistened in the sun from the sweat that covered them. He ran his fingers quickly through his messy red hair before stretching his back. Building a fence was hard work but Beel didn't mind it. It helped keep his mind off of the situation he and Belphie were in. During their second short break, Martha came out back and handed the men a colorful tube filled with a thick white, foul-smelling (and even worse tasting) cream. She insisted the two men slather themselves with it to protect them from the sun. Beel found it difficult to believe something so far away could harm him but since he was unfamiliar with being a human, he figured they knew better.

After the last post was set in its hole, John announced they were finished with the work for that day.

"You head on up to your room and get yourself cleaned up. I'll speak with Martha about your brother's work and give y'all a little cash for tonight. Normally, Martha would feed y'all but I got us some tickets for some movie she's been wantin' to see, so we'll have to send y'all elsewhere for dinner." John said with a smile and led the younger man back into the building after Beel scooped up the shirt he discarded hours earlier.

Beel flopped the shirt over his shoulder and climbed up the stairs to the second floor, following John. At the top of the stairs, the older man pointed the ginger in the direction of the room he'd be staying in with Belphie after telling him he did a good job.

Beel broke away from John and followed the narrow hallway. His steps were heavy and sluggish after a long day working in the sun. The floorboards creaked under his weight as he shuffled down the hall, glancing at the numbers on each door as he passed. When he finally found room number six, he slid his hand into his pants pocket, pulled out the small metal key, and pushed it into the lock. With a click, the door opened revealing his twin curled up asleep on one of the beds.

The small room offered two twin beds, neatly made with white bedding and a nightstand nestled between the two. Against the far wall was a window with a small seating area containing two navy armchairs and a round, oak table between. Opposite the beds was a twenty-inch, plasma flatscreen sitting on a dresser.

Belphie was sleeping on the bed nearest the window. The sunlight streamed through the open curtains onto the smaller man's resting profile, casting him in a soft glow. Beel looked at his brother for a second before shifting his gaze to the bed closest to him. On top of it were piles of once neatly folded clothes, toppled over. He picked through them, wondering what they were there for until a soft yawn interrupted him.

"I spent hours digging through boxes of leftover crap Martha had in her attic," Belphie spoke in a sleepy whisper as he sat up.

He stifled another yawn and stretched his arms high into the air.

"They're for us since we have no other clothes, though there wasn't much in your size." He continued and pointed to a smaller pile near the pillows.

"Thanks, Belphie," Beel said and began sifting through the clothes his twin gestured to. "I'm gonna take a shower. John said Martha won't be making dinner tonight so we'll have to find somewhere else to eat."

"With what money?" Belphie scoffed and threw himself back against the plush comforter he slept on.

Before Beel had a chance to reply, there was a knock on the door. The larger twin dropped the clothes he chose back onto the bed and returned to the front door. Standing in the hallways was John.

"Alright, boys? Talked to Martha. Y'all each did about four hours of work each and after taking off the cost of the room, y'all earned yourselves forty bucks." He said handing two twenty dollars bills over to Beel.

Beel eyed the money curiously, having been used to Grimm from Devildom. He rolled the soft cotton money between his fingers as Belphegor slipped from his spot on the bed.

"Thank you, John." He said in a fake, polite tone, though only the twins knew it was fake. "We really appreciate all you and Martha have done for us."

"Ah, it's nothin'. Folks around here always look out for one another. Might do y'all some good to stay for a while. Learn what it really means to be a good person." John replied with a laugh. "Now, there ain't much for restaurants around these parts, so I'll make a suggestion. If you want to get the most bang for your bucks, head down to Vincent's bar and grill. They've got some nice specials there."

The twins thanked the man again as he turned from the door. Beel handed the odd money to his brother and announced he was going to take a shower. He felt itchy, sticky, and greasy from the sweat and weird cream he had to use.

After his shower, he dressed in a new set of clothes that Belphie had located for him. While he was in the bathroom, the other twin had taken the liberty of putting the pile of clothes in the drawers. Beel looked at himself in the mirror and pulled at the uncomfortable collar of his black t-shirt, so close to his neck. He was used to wearing clothes that had a wider neck. The bluejeans he pulled on were too loose around the waist, leaving him having to pry the belt he wore on the pants he wore previously. Looking up at Belphie, who was lounging on the bed staring out of the window, he sighed.

“I’m getting hungry,” The ginger groaned and placed one large hand on his stomach, “and I hate these clothes.”

Belphie laughed at his brother’s comment and rolled off the bed, “When we can afford it, we’ll get you something more to your liking.”

Beel nodded and smiled, following the smaller twin out of the room. The door shut behind them as they advanced down the hallway.

The sun was still blazing down on the streets when they exited the bed and breakfast. Although John had suggested a place for them to eat, he failed to tell them how to get there. The twins silently walked down the main street, looking at the different buildings they passed. Neither of them was paying attention when a spry young woman came bounding around the corner, running straight into Beel. The woman with auburn red hair pulled into a high ponytail, stumbled back and landed hard on her rear.

“Ow! When did they put a wall here?” She groaned, looking up at the shadowed men standing over her.

“Ah! I’m sorry.” Beel exclaimed, reaching his hand down to help the woman to her feet.

She graciously accepted his help and dusted her black leggings off after she got to her feet. Her eyes darted between the twins for a moment before a wide smile broke across her plump, pink lips.

“I’ve never seen you guys before. You must be new here. I’m Cassidy Lane!” She announced, sticking her right hand out toward them.

Beel looked down at her hand then to Belphie who clasped his hand in hers, putting on his fake smile once again.

“I’m Noah and this is my brother Nathaniel.” He said shaking the tan woman’s hand.

Beel nodded his head at the mention of his human name and raised his hand, waving slightly.

The woman was a few inches shorter than Belphie with emerald green eyes that continued to look bright even though she was standing in their shadows. She was bubbly and energetic, bouncing on her toes as she prattled on about the small village of Twin Hills and it’s residents. Beel could sense Belphie’s patience with the woman was beginning to wear thin.

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to interrupt, but we were just on our way to find a place to eat.”

He hated how he needed to cut her off mid-sentence but it didn’t seem like she’d give him a chance to speak any time soon. Cassidy’s eyes turned from Belphie to him. He felt her eyes examine him carefully before she spoke.

“Why don’t you guys have dinner at my place? Like a ‘welcome to the neighborhood’ gift.” She said excitedly.

The larger twin looked down at his brother before requesting the woman give them a couple of minutes to discuss. The two walked a few steps away then stopped. Belphie, unsurprisingly, wanted to turn down her offer, claiming it would be better for both of them if they didn’t get involved with any of the townsfolk.

“I think we should accept. We only have this little bit of money. We don’t know if John plans on paying us every day or just on days they can’t give us dinner.” Beel countered.

Belphie made a face and sighed in acceptance. Beel was right. The smaller man turned toward Cassidy and smiled.

“We will accept your offer.” He said.

The red-haired woman bounced happily and clapped her hands.

“Awesome! See that house next to the fire station? That’s where I live. Give me about an hour to get ready, kay?” She squealed and bounded off toward the house she pointed out.

Having nothing else to do. The twins decided to explore the remainder of the town until it was time to visit Cassidy’s home for dinner. The wind rustled the leaves of the trees they passed under, keeping the two from sinking into complete silence. Beel looked up at the puffy, white clouds in the sky, shielding his eyes with one large forearm.

"Beel," Belphie started, "this punishment is gonna suck a little less since you're with me."

Beel turned to his twin and smiled, pulling him into a warm hug.

"I was thinking the same thing."


	2. They're Strays, Not Serial Killers

  


"Mel! I'm home~!" Cassidy yelled as she slipped off her running shoes. She put on her house slippers and headed around the corner towards the living room. "I invited over guests for dinner, so make sure you're dressed!"

Her roommate, Melody, sat comfortably on a small loveseat the roommates owned. A sturdy, round wooden frame was clasped tightly in one hand as she gracefully weaved a colored thread through the stretched fabric inside the frame. Her brown hair was pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head. To her right was a small, opened plastic container containing her bobbins, scissors, and a numbered list of colors for her project. On her lap rested the chart she used.

"Oh god, not the Stevenson's again. You know Mr. Stevenson makes me uncomfortable." Mel replied with a groan, not taking her eyes off her task in hand.

She bristled at the thought of Dick Stevenson in their home. Cassidy didn't mind the old man. Sure, he had a tendency to stand too close, and some of the things he said could be taken as innuendos, but other than that, he was harmless.

"He's not that bad." Cassidy laughed. "And no, I invited over a couple guys I ran into on my run."

"More strays? I thought we talked about inviting strangers over, too." Mel sighed.

"Don't forget, you were a stray once, too!" Cassie said, tapping Mel on the head playfully.

"Strays" was a term they had picked up from Martha and John. Martha had a penchant for helping every wayward soul that stumbled into the quiet village. She helped Cassidy way back in the day, and in turn, Cassidy helped Mel.

Mel shot her roommate a glare. "I'm also not a serial killer, Cassie. Who are they?"

Cassidy beamed at her friend. "Nathaniel and Noah. They're new in town. You should see Nathaniel! I thought I ran into a wall! He's so tall! And he was totally sweet about me bouncing off of him! I bet you're gonna love him."

"Love? I'll pass. I'm over that." Mel said, turning her attention back to her cross-stitch.

She ended the stitches she was working on, cut the thread after running it through along the back to keep it in place, then looked down at her chart. Once she decided what color to do next, she began digging through her tote of bobbins.

"You say that now, but just wait till you meet him~" Cassie said, unperturbed by her roommate's disinterested nature. "They'll be here in an hour. Go get dressed. You don't want to ruin your first impression looking like that, do you?"

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Mel scoffed, looking down at her attire.

Mel's brow creased as she examined the yellow shirt and white pants she wore. Her brilliant blue eyes darkened with thought.

"Tweety bird is cute, but that's not the impression you'll want to make. Trust me. Now, go put on that cute dress you got last time we went shopping! And make sure you brush your hair! I'm gonna shower quick then get dinner started."

Cassie skipped into her room, tossed her clothes in the hamper, and showered quickly. She dressed in the most conservative dress she owned, a retro-style pastel purple short sleeve, sweetheart A-line dress. It was backless with a short hem, stopping just above her knees. She quickly brushed her hair up in a high side ponytail and went to the kitchen, putting rice on in the rice cooker before knocking on Mel's door.

"You can come in. I'm dressed," Mel yelled as Cassie started pushing open the door.

Mel was wearing a three-quarter sleeve sheath dress with an offset V-shaped neckline. The hem stopped just below her knees. It was Sapphire blue, matching the color of her eyes. While it accentuated her small waistline with a bow on her left hip, she didn't find it overly revealing. Her hair, now released from its bun, rested between her shoulder blades. 

"I bet he's gonna love that dress on you!" Cass said, taking the brush from Mel's hand and brushing her friend's hair. "Now, about your hair, should I braid it? Or maybe a twist? Or I can curl it for you."

The roommate visibly shuddered. Cassie knew exactly what it was that made Mel so uncomfortable. It was the word “love.” The redhead thought her roommate was a little ridiculous for closing herself off at the prospect of finding someone new. Especially since the shorter woman’s lifelong dream did kind of depend on having a partner. As silly as she was, it didn’t stop Cassie from settling up Mel with a potential love interest at least once a month in the two years they’ve been living together.

"Just leave it be. Shouldn't you be cooking?" Mel said, changing the subject to something else.

"I put the rice on. I'm making stir fry tonight so it won't take long to cook. I have time."

"Just leave my hair alone," Mel grumbled, taking the brush back.

"Then let me do your makeup!" Cassie said, running out of the room before Mel could respond.

She skipped out of Mel’s room, passed the kitchen, hung a right before entering the living room area, and through the door where her room awaited. Cassie picked up the makeup case sitting on her bathroom counter and looked around at all of the items scattered around. After grabbing a few of them, she dropped them into the case and returned to Mel’s room. She laid out all of the products she intended to use on her roommate’s face on the bed.

"Now sit still for me. I won't do anything drastic. Just even out your skin and maybe a little blush."

Cassie spent the next ten minutes convincing Mel to let her apply some light makeup before spending twenty more actually doing so. Finished with her task, she returned to the kitchen, washed her hands, and pulled out ingredients from the refrigerator.

She jumped at a sudden, loud knock on the front door. "Fuck," she said under her breath then yelled out, "I'll get it, Mel!" She skipped down the short hallway that led from Mel’s bedroom to the front door. The redhead peeked through the peephole, ensuring the visitors were the ones she had been waiting for and not some solicitor from the city. She smiled at the vision of the two familiar strangers, took a step back, and opened the door.

"Long time, no see! Come in, come in." She giggled, stepping aside to allow them in before shutting the door behind them. Nathaniel smiled and thanked her for the invitation again then nudged the shorter man with his elbow.

Noah flashed a smile at her and said, "Yes, thank you for inviting us."

"You're welcome! It's the least I could do for running into you. Come right this way. Dinner isn't finished yet but you can sit and talk to Mel and me while I cook." She flashed them a big smile and led them past Mel's room and the kitchen to the breakfast bar. "You guys have a seat," she said before peeking her head in Mel's room.

"Mel, our guests are here. Come out and greet them," she whispered loudly. "You don't want to be rude, now do you?"

"I'm coming!" Mel said sharply, taking a deep breath before exiting her room.

Mel's slippers shuffled noisily across the floor as she moved across the kitchen toward the two strange men seated at the bar. Cassie glanced down at her roommate's hands, noting the way the smaller girl nervously twisted her fingers.

"Mel, this is Nathaniel and Noah," Cassie said, pointing to each of them in turn. "And this pretty lady here is Mel. Don't let her grumpy nature fool you, she's really a sweetheart." Cassie laughed, giving a wink.

"I'm not grumpy!" Mel pouted.

"It's nice to meet you. Thank you for having us over." Nathaniel said, standing up from the middle seat and bowing slightly to Mel.

"Mhmm. Thank you for having us." Noah parroted from his seat at the end.

A smile pulled at the red-haired woman's lips as she watched her roommate investigate the strangers. A faint blush dusted Mel's features when her eyes landed on the imposingly tall ginger who, even while sitting, was still taller than the two women.

"We are glad to have you both come over, right, Mel?" Cassie said, drawing out the last two words as she shot her friend a look. "Now sit down and chatter amongst yourselves, and I'll have food ready in no time!"

Mel looked from her roommate to the two strangers and scoffed, "you didn't even offer them anything to drink?"

She shook her head at the red-haired woman and turned to the guests.

"Can I get you two anything?"

"Just water is fine, thanks." The tall one beamed.

"What he said." The smaller brother mumbled.

Mel took out two tall glasses from the cupboard, shimmied around Cassie, who was standing in front of the stove to get to the fridge, and took out a pitcher full of cold water. She carefully filled each glass, set the pitcher on the counter, then carried the glasses to where the guests sat. They both thanked her as she set them down on the counter they sat at. Mel gave them both a polite smile and asked Cassie if she wanted anything.

"I'll get myself something when I'm done cooking." She replied.

Cassie washed her hands again, tied an apron around herself, and set to work prepping the ingredients. Mel sat next to Nate with her own glass of water and politely chatted about inconsequential things, albeit awkwardly, for a few moments while Noah laid his head in his arms on the bar. The air-conditioner hummed loudly in the window as silence fell over them for several minutes before Cassie couldn't stand it anymore.

"So, what brought you two out here?" Cassie piped up, adding some meat to the hot oil she had warmed in the wok.

The chicken sizzled and popped as it fried in the liquid. Cassie set out the cutting board on the counter next to the one the others were leaning against so she could continue speaking with them as she chopped the pile of vegetables she retrieved and washed earlier.

"Ah, well…" Nate said, turning his attention from the brunette to Cassie, thinking of how best to respond.

"We're just here until we figure out where we're going next," Noah said, lifting his head and stretching.

Cassie paused from her task of chopping a green pepper to tend to the meat in the pan. After inspecting it, she determined it was cooked, pried every piece out of the wok before adding a new batch of uncooked chicken to the oil. She turned back to the vegetables immediately after.

"Where are you staying?" She asked.

"The bed and breakfast. John picked us up when we were walking," Nate said.

"John and Martha are great people. They'll really take care of you there," Cassie said with a smile as she flipped the slices of meat in the pan, then looked at the boys in confusion. "Were you really walking?"

Back and forth she went, cooking small batches of the meat then chopping more vegetables until all of the meat was cooked. After this, she scooped handfuls of the veggies and carefully dumped them into the oil.

The house was soon filled with the intoxicating scent of the different foods mingling and frying. Nate's stomach growled impatiently awaiting the promised meal.

"We weren't flying, that's for sure," Noah grumbled as Nate elbowed him lightly.

"Obviously," Cassie said, rolling her eyes and flashing him a grin. "Do you know where you wanna go next?"

With the vegetables cooked, she set them aside and began adding a concoction of liquids into the pan. She created an extremely appetizing sauce for the meal, prompting another loud grumble from Nate's stomach. He was practically drooling but continued the conversation as if nothing had happened.

"Any ideas, Belphie?" Nate asked, adding a quiet apology at the stern look his brother gave him.

"Belphie? Is that like some sort of weird nickname?" Cassie asked, stirring the vegetables and chicken back into the pan.

"I guess so," Noah said, laying back down on his arms.

"Don't lay down just yet. Dinner is just about ready and I wanna hear how you got that nickname, sweetie," Cassie said with a laugh, pulling plates from the cupboard.

She dished out the food, setting a plate in front of each of them and passing out cutlery. She leaned on the other side of the bar in front of Noah. Stabbing a piece of carrot with her fork, she said, "Now, where did Belphie come from?"

"It's none of your concern," Noah said, staring down at his plate as he pushed the food around a little before taking a bite.

"It's better to just make up something, otherwise she won't drop it until you tell her," Mel piped up, leaning over the bar a little bit so she could see the smaller brother on the other side of his twin.

"It was from our father," Nate said.

Cassie turned her attention to her roommate, watching as the other woman made eye contact with the giant ginger. She noted the faint blush appearing on Mel's cheekbones and smiled to herself. Mel was, at the very least, attracted to Nate. Good. This was something she could use.

While Mel had sworn off men time and time again, she still went to every blind date Cassidy sent her on. It meant the young brunette still carried a faint glimmer of hope for the future.

"She doesn't need to know where it came from, Beel," Noah said quietly, shooting his brother a look. Nate frowned and began digging into his food.

"Oh, so you both have nicknames from your dad. Why Belphie and Beel, though?" Cassie said, turning her attention back to Noah.

She leaned in closer to the man with navy and silver-streaked hair that covered his right eye.

"Can you back up, please?" Noah grumbled.

"Only if you tell me where the nicknames came from," Cassie said, tapping him on the head and grinning at him.

"Fine. Our father called us Belphegor and Beelzebub and Belphie and Beel are just short for that. Happy?" Noah said quickly before shoving a mouthful of rice in his mouth.

Cassie stayed silent for a few minutes, picking at her food in thought. "So, your father thinks you two are devils?" Cassie said to no one in particular. Noah let out a chuckle that caught her attention. She narrowed her eyes and pointed her fork at him. "What's so funny?"

Noah shook his head and let out yet another soft laugh, refusing to offer up any explanation. Cassidy inhaled deeply as her annoyance quickly turned to anger and frustration. She didn’t like it when people withheld information from her. She was a curious person, and no one could fault her for that.

Melody seemed to pick up on Cassie’s emotions and piped up, hoping to redirect everyone’s attention elsewhere, “Hey, Cass? Did you use more ginger this time? It’s really good!”

“It’s delicious!” Nate added, helping himself to another mouthful of food.

Melody breathed a sigh of relief as the air in the room began to clear. Being a first-grade teacher often came in handy with Cassie. She was able to extinguish the flames whenever the redhead became heated. Cassie was like fire, always burning, full of energy and spirit that a lot of people found tiring. She was the only person who was able to pull Mel from her complacent lifestyle to show her new and exciting experiences. In turn, Melody was like a rock, holding Cassie down from becoming whisked away by her emotions. Kept her grounded just enough to keep life's little bumps and turns from turning into tornados.

After dinner, Mel took up the task of cleaning the dishes since Cassie cooked. It was an unwritten rule in their house, if one made food the other cleaned up. Nate had originally offered to assist but the stubborn brunette declined, insisting since he was a guest it would be rude of her to accept. Cassie took her roommate's place, planting herself on the stool. She engaged the brother's in a quiet conversation until Mel completed her job and returned to the group.

"Do you guys want to watch a movie or something?" Cassie asked, gesturing to the living room area behind them.

Noah opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by Mel saying, "the couch can barely fit three small people. There's no way we could watch a movie."

"Good point. How about a board game?" Cassie offered, slipping off of the stool. "We've got Monopoly."

"If you're hoping to become friends with these guys, I wouldn't recommend Monopoly," Mel added, leaning against the counter.

Cassie beamed, feeling a sudden swell of pride fill her chest. She was well known in Twin Hills as the Monopoly champion. Not a single person in the small village was able to defeat her at the game, and it got to the point people were refusing to play with her. Mel had a point though, if Cassie played her cards just right, her blue-eyed roommate might actually have a chance at real love. Just as long as she managed to keep Nate around long enough for that to happen and utterly wrecking him at Monopoly won't help that matter. No, that game will have to wait for another time.

"UNO is out of the question, too, then," Cassie added, placing one hand on her hip while bringing the other to her pink lips in thought. She tapped her fingertips gingerly against her flesh until an idea struck her. "How about the Game of Life?"

Mel glared at her roommate. Cassie knew very well Life was Mel's all-time favorite board game and playing it with four people was far more fun than just the two of them.

"Actually, we should-" Noah started but was once again interrupted, this time by his brother.

"Sounds like fun! We don't know how to play though."

Cassie smiled a wide toothy smile and requested they all move to the dining room table nestled behind their couch while she got the game out. She hopped happily to the door across from the U-shaped kitchen bar where they once sat and slipped quietly into her room. Along the right-hand side of her bedroom were two doors, one for her closet and one for her private bathroom. She got the largest room in the place. For one, she moved in long before she met her roommate but also because she needed the closet space for all her clothes. Cassie slipped into the closet and climbed up the small step ladder she kept in there for her convenience. The games the roommates owned were kept on the top shelf. She shuffled the boxes around until she located the one she wanted and pulled it down.

"Hey, Cass? While you're in there, can you grab some of the things we give to the homeless in the city? I offered some of them to Nathaniel and Noah!" She heard Mel call from the other room.

"You betcha!" Cassie called back.

She shimmied backward out of the closet, dropped the game on the bed then re-entered the small room. After digging through the pile of shoes on her floor, she grasped the handle of the object she was searching for. With that in hand, she swiped the game from its resting spot and quickly rejoined the party.

Back out in the living area, Cassie placed the board game box on the table and slid it to the end where Mel caught it and began setting it up. She handed the brothers the basket she carried. It was filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, underwear, razors, shaving cream and a few more essential items homeless people often don’t have. While the boys busied themselves picking through the items, the red-haired woman skipped into the kitchen to retrieve a bag for them to use to carry the items home.

Once the game was set up, Mel took her place on one of the chairs and announced she would be the banker, like she always was. Cassie moved swiftly, placing herself seated diagonally across from her roommate, forcing the twins to separate. With a slight blush on her cheeks when Nate sat next to her, Mel read out the rules, explaining the life choices, the spin to win feature and the action cards. When everyone agreed they understood the rules it was time to pick the car colors. Mel, being a good host, allowed the brothers to pick their cars first. Nate selected the pink one, but while Noah reached for the blue one Cassie swiped it away and handed him the yellow one.

"Your car should at least look happy." She said joyfully, earning a scowl from the man.

Cassie turned her attention to the pair across the table, watching as Nate fumbled trying to shove the little blue peg-person into the small hole in the car until Mel offered to help. With her small, thin fingers she was able to push the pieces together with ease. When Nate beamed at her and thanked her for helping, her face flushed again. The brunette turned away and flitted with the fake money, passing out two hundred thousand dollars to each person at the table.

The four took turns spinning the wheel to find out who was going to play first. Mel and Nate tied with the highest number, making the two have to spin again for a tie break. The brunette reached for the spinner at the same time Nate did. Their hands collided over the white plastic dial, causing Mel's face to redden once again.

"I'm sorry," Nate muttered, pulling his hand back. "You go ahead."

"No, no. It was my mistake. You're our guest, you spun first before." Mel quickly dropped her hands to her lap and turned her attention away.

Cassie caught her roommate's eyes and gave her a wink. Mel rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly, denying whatever Cassie was questioning, but it didn't matter how much she denied it. There was no mistaking the attraction the nosey redhead could sense.

With the game all ready to go, and Mel winning the tie-breaking spin, they began. Mel chose the college route, eventually settling on the game designer career over the fashion designer. Nate went straight into a career, excited to have pulled the Athletic career. Unfortunately, his luck was short-lived as the final space he landed on had him pull an action card. It stated he was fired from his job for bringing his pet cat into work with him. While he was slightly disappointed, the smile never left his features as he murmured “sounds like something Satan would do” to himself, eliciting a few raised eyebrows from the women sitting at the table. He then drew two new career cards, having to decide between Chef or Dancer.

“Think of all the food I’d get to taste as a chef.” He said proudly, placing the card on the table in front of him with the small pile of money he had.

Cassidy was the third to go. She also chose the straight to career option and drew her cards, choosing the Dancer career. At the end of her turn, she pulled an action card and read it aloud:

“Bongo class! Pick an opponent. Play a drum solo on the table and spin. Highest spin wins 70k. Noah, I choose you as my opponent!”

The navy and silver-haired man sighed and threw her an annoyed glare. As he reached for the spinner, Cassie grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm back.

“Don’t touch me.” He growled and yanked his arm from her grasp.

“We’re supposed to have a drum-off on the table before we spin!” She retorted. “Ready? Go!”

Cassie enthusiastically smacked her hands against the table rhythmically causing the pieces on the board to wiggle and dance lightly in their spots. Nate urged his brother to join in and laughed quietly to himself as his brother lifted one hand and placed it on the table. He tapped his index finger lazily against the wood. When the solos were done, the two spun, granting Cassie the win.

Noah went next, spinning the wheel before choosing the college path. It took a few turns around the board before he was able to choose his career. He stared down at the two cards in his hands, Lawyer, and Veterinarian. He pursed his lips for a split second before tossing the vet card back onto the board, claiming the other one.

As the game went on, Nate was the first to stop at the "get married" place on the board. His brow furrowed over the words as he contemplated what to do next. He raised his eyes from the table and glanced between the two women.

"Do I marry one of you?" He asked, his gaze finally coming to rest on the petite brunette on his left.

Melody's face flushed once again and she quickly turned her face away, pretending to look for the rule book. Cassie scoffed at her roommate. There was no way she didn't know since they played it often in the two years they lived together.

"Nah, just grab one of the people pegs and shove it in your car with the other." The redhead explained.

Nate nodded and turned back to Melody who was in charge of all the player pieces, cards, and money. He picked up the little pink car and held it out to her.

"Will you help me again?" He requested.

Melody returned her gaze to him and looked down at the small, colored plastic in the palm of his hand. She mumbled an agreement and grabbed a little pink peg to add next to the blue one. Cassidy watched from across the table with a smirk on her lips and a gleam in her eyes.

With the person placed in the car, it was time to continue the game.

Throughout the remainder of the night, anytime a conversation began that was unrelated to the game, Noah shot it down. He was also quick to remind someone when it was their turn. It was very clear to everyone else, he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. Because of this, Cassie selected him for the majority of her action cards. 

Surprising just about everyone, Noah won with a hoard of children. Melody came in second, Cassidy in third, and Nate in the last place. The grin on his features suggested he didn't mind and he pushed the chair back from the table.

"Tonight was a lot of fun. Thanks again for having us."

"Can we go now?" The smaller man said, stifling a yawn behind his hand.

The two women rose to their feet, following the men as they prepared to end the evening's festivities. Melody hung back, picking up the pieces of the game while Cassie led the two men to the front door.

Nate tugged in annoyance at the collar of his shirt that was close to his neck. The red-haired woman noted the way he kept up his polite appearance, never once grumbling as the night grew on even though the shirt was clearly bothering him. His twin, however, was quickly losing his polite facade. He sighed loudly after shoving his feet in the well-worn shoes he owned, finding his brother still happily chatting with the woman. The longer the conversation went, the more he sighed. The more he sighed, the more amused Cassie became. Between the fake smiles and increasingly worsening attitude, the red-haired woman wanted to know just one thing about Noah: " _ what the fuck is his deal?" _ She shook off her worries knowing with her plans about to be set in motion, she'd be seeing a lot more of him. Giving her plenty of time to figure him out.

“We should hang out again sometime,” Cassie said, placing her hand on the doorknob.

“Yeah! We had a lot of fun, right?” Nate replied, nudging his twin.

The other man just scoffed and offered a sarcastic agreement. He yawned, covering his mouth with his hand and leaned sleepily against the other. Cassie watched the exchange and smiled.

"So next week there's…" Cassie started.

"It's late. I'm tired. Can we go?" Noah interrupted, sparking a small argument between him and her.

Cassidy disliked when someone cut her off whether it was on the road or with words. She turned to the smaller man and tapped his forehead.

"It's rude to interrupt a lady when she's speaking." She said icily, challenging him.

"It's rude to make your guests stay longer than they want." He shot back; the violet in his eyes darkening as the seconds passed.

"If you'd let me finish, you'd be able to go sooner!" Cassie replied, raising her voice in annoyance.

It wasn’t long before Melody finished cleaning up the game and joined the rest of the party. She listened intently at the ongoing topic, looking from one person to the next as they spoke. Nate, spying some movement from the corner of his eye, raised his arm up and looked down at the small woman to his left. He offered her a smile and crossed his arms to give her some more space on the small entrance of their home.

As the two people continued their petty argument, the other members of the party both stepped forward to put an end to it. Mel grasped Cassie's arm, coaxing the other to look at her, while Nate chose to block his brother's view.

Cassie's gaze flicked to her roommate's, causing her to remember this was no time to argue. For the sake of Melody and her possible future happiness, she was just going to have to suck it up and let it roll off her back. Just this once.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Cassie continued, shooting a glare at Noah, who was trying to see around the menacing height of his twin "there's a carnival next week. We should all go together!"

Noah glowered at her and crossed his arms, turning away from the rest. Nate relaxed, knowing Noah was now much too exhausted to be bothered with the humans any longer.

"There's going to be rides and games and, O-M-G, you need to try the carnival food!" Cassie went on.

Nate's eyes lit up at the final word in her sentence. Cassidy smirked at his reaction and started explaining what the food trucks offered. The more she talked, the more interested the giant man became. Before long he was slapping his brother on the shoulder, insisting they go.

"Fine. You can go. I'll stay at the B and B." He groaned, peeling himself from his twin to stand.

"No, you have to go! And Mel too!" Cassie insisted.

Melody jumped at hearing her name, clearly off in her own world. She took a few seconds under the stare of the others before her brain fully registered what she had missed. Cassie knew her roommate wouldn't be interested. Going out wasn't what Melody considered a good time as she preferred to stay home when she wasn't at work. She mumbled to herself, looking from one person to another until her gaze fell on Nate's. He looked almost like an excited child, with the hint of a pout on his lips.

"Alright, for a short while. I suppose." She agreed quietly, turning her face away.

Nate cracked a wide, toothy smile and uncrossed his arms. Placing one large hand on the top of Melody's head, he ruffled her hair affectionately.

"It's gonna be so much fun!" Cassie cheered, watching her roommate's face quickly redden at the interaction.

She turned to look at the smaller man, now resting against the wall. His eyes held a sleepy glaze over them, drooping lower and lower with each passing second. Cassie turned the door handle and pulled the door open, startling the man with a sudden rush of hot, summer, air.

"I'll come by in a few days and we can finalize some plans. Looks like someone is getting sleepy." She added some color to her tone, poking Noah in the cheek like he was a baby. He responded by swatting her hand away and grumbling to himself. "I have some recipes I need to share with Martha."

Unsurprisingly, this started a brand new topic of conversation Nate was very interested in continuing. Not wanting to anger Noah any longer for her roommate’s sake, Cassie quickly explained she and Melody both enjoyed cooking and often swapped recipes with Martha. She told the ginger that when they saw each other again, she'd go into detail as he joyfully stalked out of their place.

Nate raised the plastic bag that held the items they were given and offered another thanks. He said goodnight with a wave and jogged off to catch up with the other twin who was halfway down the street, stumbling over his tired feet.

Cassidy closed the door once the boys were out of sight and turned to her roommate.

"You like him." She teased, wagging her finger at Melody.

Melody rolled her eyes and shook her head lightly. "You would think that, wouldn't you?"

"You blushed every time he acknowledged your existence! He's hot, right? And he seems so sweet. He's perfect for you!"

Melody closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose as Cassie kept plaguing her with teasing questions. She turned sharply and stalked off to her room with the redhead right on her heels until the door stopped her in her tracks.

“Melody and Nathaniel, kissing in a tree.” She started singing loudly through the barrier.

“Go to sleep!” Mel yelled through the door,

Cassidy chuckled to herself and entered the kitchen with a smile on her face. Mel and Nate would end up together if she had anything to say about it, and Cassie made sure she always got what she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooof adding images is a pain and my goodness I made so many errors doodling it (I don't usually do backgrounds so wow way out of my element!)


	3. Everyone Loves a Good Fair

Melody stood next to Cassie at the entrance to the fairgrounds. She nervously played with the hem of her soft pink t-shirt, like a guilty child who got caught misbehaving. A warm summer breeze blew by, rustling the leaves in the trees. Her long hair went along with the wind, causing the strands to whip and sway. She raised her right hand and tucked the hair behind her ear.

On the other side of the gate, excited screams mingling with the tinkling carnival music could be heard. The women's shadows were stretched along the path in front of them from the bright lights of the fairground behind them. People hurried past the roommates, some leaving the park with their smaller kids, others just entering.

The two women stood off to the side, keeping out of the way as guests shuffled in and out. Mel was annoyed with herself for agreeing to come out. Crowds, noise, bright lights, none of them sounded like a good time to her. All she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a good book and read the evening away. Instead, she was suckered into joining her roommate and two men she just met. Why? She couldn't say, but the look on Nathaniel's face was enough to get her to agree. He was like a big puppy asking for a treat and she couldn't disappoint.

Her face went red recalling that moment last week. As much as Cassie pestered her about it, she was wrong. There was no school girl crush or attraction to this man. He was just different than anyone she ever met and that made her slightly curious. Yes. That was it. Nothing more than simple curiosity.

Cassidy nudged Mel's shoulder, causing the smaller woman to raise her head. Ahead of them, she spotted the two men advancing through the parking lot, not that they would be difficult to spot. Nathaniel was at least a head taller than the average man and his shockingly bright orange hair  like the color of a summer sunset , helped him stick out even more. Just laying eyes on his broad figure was enough to cause her blush to deepen.

Definitely not attraction.

Melody fumbled through a very awkward greeting and clamped her mouth shut immediately afterward. Tonight was an event Cassie would enjoy and it was better to let the woman do what she wanted for the time being. If Mel played her cards right, she could be home, enjoying her book, in an hour.

"What the hell did you do to your shirt, Nate?" Cassie asked, gesturing wildly in his direction.

Melody looked up, curious to find out what her roommate was referring to when she noticed the collar of his shirt had been cut off. The style gave him some more neck room and offered a pretty good view of his collarbones slightly protruding from his chest. That being said, it was a terrible job. It was jagged and uneven and looked like something a child would do. And Cassie told him as much, scolding him for ruining his shirt. Nate apologized, even though he had no reason to. They were his shirts and he could do whatever he wanted to them.

With that little excitement out of the way, the four proceeded through the gates of the fairground. Cassie in the lead, her mouth running a mile a minute with her excitement. The brothers followed behind her, Nathaniel looking around while Noah hung his head in an unamused manner. Melody took up the rear. The bubbly redhead bounced up to the ticket booth when it was finally their turn and bought what she thought were the most logical things to purchase. She moved the group off to the side and handed a packet of tickets to Melody. Mel made a face, having already told Cassie earlier she didn't want to go on any rides and tucked the tickets away in her purse. She knew both the food trucks and any of the games required cash, not tickets, so she didn't understand why any was given to her.

While Cassie and Nate began formulating a feasible plan for the four of them to visit everything to do at the carnival, Mel turned her eyes to the happy giant standing across from her. The way the light from above shone on his face made his eyes look… inhuman. She blinked a few times, thinking maybe it was her imagination, but no, they were most definitely an unnatural color. She hadn't noticed last week of course, because she wasn't able to look at him long enough before she felt embarrassed and would turn away. Her eyes flicked to the smaller brother to see if his eyes were the same, but with how he dropped his head, she couldn't make out anything behind his navy bangs. 

Magenta, no violet, both _? _ She turned her gaze back to Nate and surmised they had to be contact lenses. This eye color was completely unheard of.

The downfall of a woman who lives in her head was that she often lost herself in her thoughts and no longer paid attention to her surroundings. She was so deep inside her mind, she failed to notice that the two extroverts couldn't agree on where to begin and wanted Melody's opinion.

"Lost in his eyes are you, Mel?" Cassidy teased.

That brought her back. Her eyes widened and she hastily turned away as the familiar heat started to warm her face. She mentally scolded herself for being so obvious. Obvious isn't the right word. There's nothing to be obvious about. Either way, she scolded herself.

Cassidy laughed at the other woman's reaction but shook off any remaining thoughts on the matter. She returned to the previous conversation and came up with a suggestion.

"How about we explore first and see what catches our attention?"

Nathaniel nodded excitedly, "sounds like a plan."

Noah huffed, shrugged his slouched shoulders, and agreed. Agreeing to anything to get this over with. Just like Mel would have done, had she been listening. But no, she was back inside her mind calling herself an idiot with her red face buried in her hands. She didn't even notice the sound of their voices fading as the group wandered off to enact their plans. Not one of them noticing the brunette didn't follow. Well if they did, they didn't say anything.

Mel breathed a sigh of relief and planted herself on a nearby bench, wondering what to do next. She couldn't just go home, Cassie would chew her out for that. Looking for them in a fairground this huge wasn't a likely solution either. They'd spend so much time looking for one another, no one would get to do what they want. Cassie would chew her out for that. She couldn't very well call her roommate, it was too loud and Cassie tends to forget her phone exists when she has her mind set on something. Melody has chewed her out for that. The best thing to do in this situation is to wait. Someone will eventually realize she's not with them and they'll retrace their steps looking for her. She trusted Cassie knew her well enough to know what she was thinking.

So she sat and waited, pulling out her phone to locate something to occupy her mind in the meantime. Heaven forbid she gets lost in her thoughts thinking about Nathaniel's beautiful eyes.

Oh my gosh did she really just think that?

Melody shook her head in her own self-caused embarrassment and tapped her phone screen to wake it up. Her reunion with her only love, reading, was short-lived, however. Before long she heard a sickly sweet voice call out to her.

"Miss MacPherson! I didn't expect to see you here of all places!"

Melody flinched and suppressed a cringe. She was a first-grade teacher at Twin Hills Central School. Just like her father, teaching was her passion. She worked as a substitute for the first few months upon arriving in the little village until the position she now held opened up to full time. Unlike many adults, Mel never got annoyed with children. Even when they asked fifty questions a minute, she enjoyed taking the time to answer each one. Their excited screeching never hurt her ears and while it was true they struggled to keep their hands clean and to themselves, the sniffles never bothered her much. She adores the way they always held that natural curiosity about everything on the planet. Nathaniel was like that. He had that same astonished look whenever something interesting caught his attention.

Oh no. She was thinking about him again. Stop that! What was she… right teaching. The only thing she didn't enjoy about her job was the parents.

Melody raised her head and looked up at the couple standing in front of her. The woman held a smile on her ruby painted lips while the man held a look of annoyance on his face. Clearly, he didn't want his wife to bother Mel anymore than Mel did. The wife sat next to the teacher on the bench and almost immediately began talking up her son.

Melody was quite familiar with this couple as she had their eldest child in her class the year prior and this coming fall, she'd teach the youngest as well. The woman was the type of mother most teachers disliked. She just liked to know every little detail about her children's lives. Obviously a member of the PTA volunteered for every school function and field trip. While she seemed like the engaging parent a teacher would love, Melody just found her exhausting. Much like the students she taught, this woman asked questions incessantly. While Mel had the patience to handle young children asking a multitude of questions, she did not have the patience for a parent who knows how to use Google.  But Melody did the best she could answering the parents' question. It helped her keep her mind off of the tall stranger with hair like Autumn leaves and eyes like two rhodolite gems. And here she was, thinking about him again. She was thinking about him so much she hadn't noticed the couple saying their goodbyes and departing. Thinking about so much she swore she could see him off in the crowd, coming her way.

Wait a second.

Melody sat up straight, staring dumbfounded at the man pushing through the crowds before her. Was she really starting to hallucinate seeing him or was he actually looking for her? She couldn't see Noah or Cassidy tagging along, but Nate was so much taller he'd be easier to see and would be able to spot her. Her heart hammered in her chest when he turned his head and saw her. She was definitely not hallucinating.

Melody tucked the phone she had been squeezing back into her purse and nervously stood. The last time something like this happened to her, she spent the next few hours being scolded for her selfishness. 

_ "I can't believe you were late! You knew how important this was for me! I'm trying to become a partner at the firm. Why are you sabotaging my dreams? Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was that my fiancée wasn't there? Jesus fucking Christ, Melody, think of me for once!" _

Mel shuddered at the memory and closed her eyes. She let out a shaky breath to settle her nerves, but the closer Nathaniel got, the more anxious she became. Standing to greet him, she dropped her head and began nervously twisting her fingers as he approached. She expected a scowl, a heavy sigh, any sign of disappointment. What she didn't expect was a cheerful greeting and a wide toothy smile.

"There you are! Glad to see you're okay. We were worried." Nate said with a laugh.

Mel looked up and caught those eyes she couldn't stop pondering about. The corners crinkled and his irises lit up with his smile. Worried? About her? He didn't even know her. Nevertheless, she apologized.

"Don't worry about it. With crowds this big it's easy to get separated." He replied.

Mel looked around wondering where the other half of the party disappeared to. Nate, sensing what was on her mind explained that he offered to go look for Melody so Cassie and Noah (he called him Belphie) could go ahead and enjoy their night.

He offered. Her heart jumped. He was worried about her. People this nice don't exist. She knew this. There was always something. Cassie was nice but she was a gossip and stuck her nose in everyone's business. Martha and John were nice, but they were extremely distrustful of the village's youth. So what about Nathaniel? When was the other shoe going to drop? Attractive, funny, and sweet? He was too good to be true.

Mel's face flushed with her thoughts. How could she think such things about a stranger? No. Clearly, it was the atmosphere. The carnival was a popular date destination, especially in Twin Hills where exciting things rarely happened. I mean she could see that at least ninety percent of the people there were on a date. That's right. She was only thinking about such things because of where they were.

She definitely isn't attracted to him one way or another. Not even remotely.

"So since the others are off doing whatever, what do you want to do?" He asked.

Mel bit her lip in thought. Her plan was just to do what everyone else wanted. Although she vaguely remembered Nathaniel mentioned something about food. She turned to him and looked up, meeting his gaze.

"You wanted to get something to eat, right? We could do that." She offered.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" Nate admitted, breaking into another one of his charming smiles.

Melody led the way to the food trucks while Nate fell into step next to her. When the crowd got a little thick around some of the booths, he placed his hand on her outer shoulder and pulled her in front of him. People naturally moved out of the way of the tall man, and Mel appreciated not having to squeeze her way through for once. His hand lingered on her shoulder for a second too long and she heard him mutter an apology to her.

Seriously, he has to have some kind of crazy skeletons in his closet.

Soon they arrived at their destination. Three busy food trucks were all parked end to end next to a packed picnic area. The lines weren't crazy long but it would have been a bit of a wait. After five minutes, Melody suggested he locate a place for them to sit while she ordered for them. When he attempted to reverse her suggestion, she shook it off, insisting he would be much easier to find in the crowded area than she would be.

At the counter, she realized she wasn't sure what he'd want. Knowing she had no time to run and ask him, she went with the first carnival food she could think of. Two funnel cakes. The cashier asked what she'd like on them, Mel took a second to ponder. Nathaniel seemed to be similar to Cassidy in a few ways and worst-case scenario, they switch.

"One with everything. One with nothing, and two waters, please." She finally said.

The cashier quirked their eyebrow at her for request but punched it in. Melody wasn't a fan of sugary desserts or desserts in general for that matter. She was less of a cookies and cake kind of person and more of a coffee and scones fan. Cassie was the opposite. Whenever the woman was upset about anything, their apartment turned into a bakery. Cupcakes, cookies, cakes. Tarts and macarons too. The angrier she was, the more she made. Often having to give out her creations to the townsfolk, or else they'd go stale.

Melody paid for the food, took them once they were finished (shoving the two bottles of water into her purse), and turned her attention to the seating area. Just as she had suggested, Nate was easily found. She tried to ignore the quickened pace of her heart and focused her attention on keeping the food from spilling off the paper plates as she excused herself past each carnival goer. The funnel cake she ordered with Nathaniel in mind really did look like it had everything on it. Whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, sprinkles, crushed Oreos, and more. There was so much sugar piled on it, she thought she'd go into a diabetic coma just looking at it.

Mel shook her head and scolded herself for mocking a disease. It was irresponsible for her to do that. She whispered a silent apology to everyone suffering from diabetes for her thoughts before making it to the table.

Nate looked like an excited child when she arrived, his eyes locked onto the loaded funnel cake the second she appeared from behind another person. It appeared she had made the right decision, but being true to herself she didn't want to assume.

"Which one would you like?" She asked, offering him both in case she guessed wrong.

His eyes never left the pile of sugar as he pointed greedily at it. She smiled and laid it down on the picnic table before him and placed hers opposite him, where she planned to sit. After prying the two waters from their cozy home in her purse, she set them down and realized she didn't grab utensils.

"Oh, dear… let me go back and get us forks." She said with a quick apology.

"That's okay. I don't need one." He mused, folding the funnel cake in half.

Mel took her seat, thinking it might be rude to rush off just for herself and picked off a small piece of the fried dough for herself. She watched as the toppings on Nate's snack squeezed out of the back of it when he bit into it like a taco. A little amused chuckle slipped from her and she covered her mouth to keep her from breaking out into a full laugh. Her giggle went unnoticed by the man who stared at the slop of whipped cream pooling on the paper plate. He looked a little disheartened that his funnel taco plans didn't come to pass as he had hoped, but that didn't dissuade him from continuing.

Mel cleared her throat, thinking she should probably attempt a conversation. It would be a little awkward not speaking for however long it would take to find the other two members of their party.

"Do you have any other siblings aside from Noah?" She asked, taking another small nibble of her food.

Nate looked at her from over the end of the water he was now gulping and nodded. He pulled the bottle from his lips and wiped his mouth with his hand. Mel couldn't help watching his every movement.

"Yeah, I have five other brothers."

"Five, wow." She whistled. "What are they like?"

The ginger looked down at his plate and smiled fondly, thinking of his brothers. He started with the eldest, he called Lucifer. Explaining how he kept everyone in line. He was strict but within reason, to him anyway, others not so much. Mammon cared a little too much about money, but he was funny. He said the third oldest was Levi and how he struggled to understand half of the things Levi talked about often resulting in Nate outright ignoring him. At that point, he stopped.

"I'm sorry. I… Belphie doesn't want me talking about our brothers."

"You don't need to apologize! I was the one who asked. How about I tell you about my sisters instead?" She offered.

It was obvious the topic of his family was something that shouldn't be brought up. Mel took a mental note not to mention them again. Nate perked up at her suggestion and nodded, returning to the nearly finished dessert.

"I have three sisters. I'm the second youngest. My two older sisters are Melissa and Miranda. They're both nurses like our mom. Matilda is the youngest. She's troubled, I guess would be the best way to describe her. Our mother has a pretty specific future planned out for each of us and Matty didn't like it so she ran away when I was in college. The only one who has heard from her since is our dad. I'm sure she's fine. She's a smart girl, just doesn't have any direction right now."

"I bet it'll all work out. How old is she?" Nate asked before stuffing the last bite of his funnel-taco into his mouth.  His eyes dropped to the plate in front of her. Mel noticed and pushed the barely touched funnel cake she ordered for herself in his direction. She needed to take a minute to recall her sister's age. They hadn't spoken in so long it was easy to forget, as guilty as that made her feel.

"Let's see I'll be twenty-six next month, so I guess she'd have to be around twenty-four. Come to think of it, how old are you?"

Nate ripped off a large piece of the funnel cake and used it almost like a spoon, scooping up the whipped cream from his plate. When he took a bite, Mel had to stop herself from laughing as he left a large smear from white across his cheek from the corner of his mouth.

"Uh, twenty-seven." He answered as soon as his mouth was clear.

The conversation proceeded smoothly from then on. He asked if she had any plans for her impending birthday. Mel explained she was probably just going to invite some friends and colleagues over like she does every year. Then added he and Noah should come too. Although she wouldn't normally feel comfortable inviting strangers to her birthday party, she felt it would be rude not to invite them after speaking to Nate about it.

During the course of the conversation, Nate finished the dessert. The whipped cream on his cheek was ever-present. Melody paused in the middle of what she was saying to point it out to him. She couldn't very well let him walk around the park like that and it seemed he hadn't noticed it. When she did mention it, he flicked his tongue over the corner of his lips reaching as far as the pink muscle could reach.

"Did I get it?" He asked, turning his face so she could see more clearly.

"No, here hold on a second." She replied with a grin and pulled open the purse on her lap.

Melody dug through the contents of her bag until she came upon what she was searching for; a package of baby wipes. She snapped the lid open, pulled one of the wet wipes out, and held it out to the man across from her. Nate leaned over the table, and Mel, without thinking, wiped the damp, white cloth over his cheek. Realizing how that must've looked to those around her, she hastily pulled her arm back and turned red muttering: "I got it."

Nate didn't seem to notice her embarrassment. He beamed and thanked her for her help and offered to clean up. Mel just nodded, placing the used wipe on the pile of paper plates.

The ginger wasn't gone for long and when he returned, he asked if they could visit some of the attractions he had seen on their way through. Again, Mel nodded and rose to her feet.

Nate led the way this time through the sea of people. Like before, everyone who saw him coming moved out of his way. They weaved through booths to the first one Nate had his heart set on. In a small clearing stood a high-striker, also known as a strength tester.

"I don't know why but I really want to try this." He said gesturing at the attraction.

Melody watched as a young man about seventeen walked up to take a shot. With the way he turned back to his girlfriend to give her a thumbs-up, Mel figured he was trying to show off. Typical jock. She glanced over at Nathaniel and wondered if he was that type of guy in high school. The super-popular got by on sportsmanship over academics type. The kind of guys Melody secretly wished would look at her instead of the cheerleaders. Back then anyway. She had grown up and realized those popular boys had nothing but that and any feelings she had for them were superficial.

The teenager took the mallet from the carnie running the attraction and took his stance. With both hands holding the equipment at the bottom of the handle he swung it back over his head and brought it down onto the strike box. The puck flew up the tower's length until it reached about halfway where it paused for a split second then dropped back down. The girlfriend of the teenager cheered for him regardless but the boy was clearly bothered by his results.

"Your stance was wrong, and the way you held the hammer," Nate said, taking a step forward.

The teenager shot him a glare. "Alright, big guy, show me how you do it."

Nate threw a glance at Mel, seemingly to ask if it was alright. She nodded and offered to pay for the attempt. Teaching a young man was always worth a little bit of money.

Once the carnie was paid, he handed the mallet to Nate. Nate first tested its weight, holding it near the head. He took a step back from the machine and turned to the teenager to explain that he should have pivoted his back foot to give him better balance. The kid stared at him with scrutiny but didn't say anything. All he wanted to see was Nate fail after seemingly coming off high and mighty. Mel knew Nate was just trying to be helpful, though. The brunette moved to the other side as Nate lined up the head of the hammer with the strike pad a few times before gripping the mallet with both hands. Before taking his swing, he told the boy that he had his hands too close together which lessened the amount of force he should have provided.

"Just take your fucking turn." The kid spat crossing his arms.

Melody watched as Nate raised the hammer over his right shoulder, as opposed to his head like the teenager. The ill-fitting, forest green tee he wore pulled up, exposing his well-toned stomach and a thin line of dark hair starting from his belly button down toward the waist of his shorts. Melody inhaled sharply at the sudden sight. Her face flushed at the thoughts that crossed her mind. It's just a stomach. Nothing to get frazzled about!

Nate swung the hammer down, much like the way one would chop wood, square onto the pad. The puck rose higher and higher, causing the colored lights along the edges to light up.

_ DING _

The bell at the top rang out loudly, announcing to the entire park what Nate had done. A wide smile broke across his features and when he turned to meet Mel's eye, she couldn't help but mirror that smile. "Of course you managed to ring the bell. Look at the size of your arms, dude." The teenager scoffed, gesturing dramatically.

Melody shifted her gaze down to the arms of the man in question. She hadn't noticed until now that the sleeves of the t-shirt hugged tightly to his biceps and triceps. Her eyes trailed over to the bottom hem of his shirt. Biting her lip, she recalled the noticeable grooves down his abdomen to where the elastic of the shorts he wore lay. She had meant to tell the young man that muscles didn't necessarily equal strength as she had witnessed Cassie put down a couple of guys double her size with a single hit, and not to the… more sensitive areas either, but she forgot. Or rather, started thinking about Nathaniel again and lost herself in her thoughts. That was until he approached her.

"Hey, your face is getting red. Are you feeling well?"

A concerned tone of voice and a pair of large hands cupping her cheeks reminded her of where she was. She blinked her eyes until those strange, enigmatic eyes came into focus.

"Your girlfriend looks fine to me. Maybe a little bit thirsty." The teenage boy said with a laugh, paying the man for a second shot at the attraction.

Thirsty. She knew what that term meant and she did not agree with it whatsoever. She barely knew this guy, there was no way she was lusting after him in any such manner. So what if he had nice arms, a fit body, and eyes she could stare at for hours. Not that she would. Oh, jeez. What was she even thinking about?

When her face flushed harder at the close contact, Nate's expression grew worried. She watched as his eyebrows knitted together and the smile on his lips faded away.

"Thirsty." He repeated, thinking aloud, "We should get you some water."

Without another word, he released her face, drew up to his full height, and took her hand. If she didn't feel faint before, she was beginning to now as he led her to a nearby vending machine.

"Nathaniel, I'm okay. Really. I was just a little warm." Mel pleaded her case.

She stared down at the large hand wrapped loosely around hers. It was warm and strong and completely enveloped hers within it. When she pulled her arm back, her hands slipped easily away. He had been barely holding on like he was afraid of hurting her. Nate stopped when he felt her slip away. He turned to her, the look of concern still holding on his features.

"That guy said you looked thirsty. Was he wrong?" He asked, taking a step forward, closing the gap between them.

"Very, very wrong. I'm quite alright. Let's just visit some of the game booths, okay?" She suggested, desperately trying to change the subject.

Nate's worry melted from his face and was replaced by his usual warm, sunny smile. He nodded at her suggestion and started walking next to her to the rows of booths set up. 

As they walked through the park, Melody noticed some sort of stuffed animal was tucked under his arm as he walked. Normally, she was perceptive and would have noticed something like that, but tonight everything but normal was happening. When she asked about it, Nate pulled it out and showed her the bright blue lion with a light purple mane.

"I got it from ringing the bell, though I don't have any use for it. Do you want it?" He asked, holding it out in her direction.

Melody smiled and took the plush with both her hands. She didn't admit it to anyone, but she had a bit of a soft spot for stuffed animals, having filled a shelf in her closet with ones she's collected over the years. This one, though, was about the size of her torso and wouldn't be able to fit up there with the rest. She squeezed the lion to her chest and buried her nose in the fuzz at the top of its head. Nate ruffled her hair with a laugh and continued searching the available games.

As they walked, they came upon two young children. The youngest, a girl around seven with a cute pink dress on, was squatting next to a booth loudly crying. The boy, approximately nine or ten, wearing a white tee and green shorts, was desperately trying to console her to no avail. It was getting late, the sun had already begun it's descent casting the world in an orange glow. Mel, fearing the children were lost, stopped at their feet and crouched to the ground. She recognized them. The girl was in her class last year.

"Darla, are you alright?" She asked.

The girl raised her head. Her brown eyes swimming in tears that streaked down her puffy cheeks. She hiccuped and tried to speak but Mel couldn't understand her through her sobs. The brother, Dale, explained in her stead. The booth they were in front of had a unicorn stuffed animal. Darla, being a fan of unicorns, insisted her brother win it. Even after spending all the money, their parents gave them, he wasn't able to win it. Mel looked up at the unicorn in question and considered asking the carnie if she could just purchase it instead. However, the man looked rather annoyed with the girl crying in front of his booth, and Mel didn't deal well with confrontation with strangers.

The game itself was simple. Take a basketball and make three shots in a hoop for a prize. Mel wasn't a very sporty person, so attempting to win didn't seem like a logical idea either.

That's when Nathaniel stepped up to the booth and handed some money to the man. The man passed Nate the ball and went over the rules. The ginger positioned his feet, dribbled the ball in front of him twice, and made his first shot. From her angle, Mel couldn't see if it went in, but she heard the swish of net and Nate gleefully cheering. The boy stood first, moving to watch as Nate made the second shot. He gasped and cried out, announcing one more shot and they win a prize. Mel pulled Darla into her arms and stood just in time to watch the third and final basket. It rolled around the rim before tipping into the net.

The man grumbled a congratulations and asked Nate which prize he wanted. Without hesitation, he pointed to the unicorn. With the stuffie in hand, he turned to the woman and held the toy out to the small girl. She took it and held it tight, just as Mel had done with the lion.

"Hey, Mister. That was really cool of you. What's your name?" Dale asked tugging at the side of Nate's shorts.

"Nathaniel, but most people call me Nate."

Melody watched the exchange with a smile and placed Darla on the ground before picking up the lion she had dropped.

"Thanks, Uncle Nate!" The boy said, hugging Nate's leg.

The sister copied her brother in words and motions. Nate stared down at the two kids, with a slight look of confusion in his eyes. They released him, thanked him again, and ran off to find their parents.

"That was really sweet of you," Mel said, falling into step with him as they moved on.

"Nah, it was nothing." He replied modesty, a faint blush appearing over his cheeks.

The two walked for some time, idly chatting. Occasionally, something would attract Nate's attention and he'd ask if she wanted to do whatever that was. Mel agreed, never wanting to turn down his request. He was just so happy and excited about everything with a wide smile constantly plastered on his face. Mel didn't want to be the reason that smile went away.

Eventually, the evening wore on and the park was beginning to clear out of children and younger teenagers and the couple was running out of booths to check out. They managed to find their way into the rides section of the park. Mel followed Nate nervously as he stared at wonder at all the contraptions. At first, he just watched what each ride did, listening to the reactions of those who rode them. Some cheered, some screamed, some sat quietly with a smile and others a poker face. The carnival offered a few types of rollercoasters, the tunnel of love, the tilt-a-whirl, the scrambler, even a mechanical bull. Of all the rides, the only one Mel would seriously consider would have been the tunnel of love since it was on the ground and quite slow. But she'd never ride it with Nate. Heaven forbid someone from the school saw her and made the wrong assumption!

As they walked, the ginger eventually stopped; his eyes glued to the ride before them. The Ferris wheel. Of course. Of all the rides he could become transfixed on, it's the one she liked the least.

"Can we…?" He asked, gesturing to it.

Mel wanted to say no. She wanted to explain how frightened she was of it, and many of the other rides. But the same strange phenomenon that forced her to agree to even come out tonight, happened again. She peered into his eyes, seeing the colored lights of the fairgrounds reflecting off his enlarged pupils, and found herself agreeing instead. She took out the book of tickets Cassie had given her and followed the man to join the queue for the ride. Every step closer, her anxiety worsened. By the time she went to hand the tickets to the person controlling the ride, they were shaking so badly she nearly dropped them. Nathaniel was either oblivious or didn't care, but by the way he stared at wonder at the ride, she assumed it was the former.

The pair climbed carefully into the cart and took their places seated within. Between the two of them and the stuffed animal, pressed between Mel and the side, there were no more than three inches separating them. Mel hadn't noticed, finding herself in a state of fear and worry. The attendant shut and latched the lap bar and returned to his post. Nate began looking around as the ride moved their cart back to allow the next passengers on. The second the ride moved, Mel slammed her eyes shut. Neither of them noticed the other half of their group climbing into the next cart.

The Ferris wheel went through its entire rotation twice, leading Mel to believe it was almost over. Just over the top and back down was it, right? They wouldn't possibly do more than three rotations with the number of people in line. Her eyes were still crammed shut as the cart they sat in began to make its descent for the third time. However, it stopped. The cart swayed back and forth slightly, making Mel feel all the worse.

"Melody?" Nate's voice called out to her.

For someone sitting so close, he sounded so far. Like he had managed to get off the ride and was calling from the ground. Mel's knuckles turned white with how hard she was clutching the bar in front of her.

"Are you afraid of heights?" His voice again, low and soothing, bringing her back to her senses just enough to answer.

"No, it's…" she paused, her throat felt dry and tight making it difficult to speak.

Not that she wanted to anyway. If she had managed to tell him every thought that went through her mind, she might end up causing him to feel afraid too. 

"I'm afraid of falling." She answered.

A half-truth. In reality, she feared the machine would break down or that the cart they sat in wasn't secure and they'd go plummeting to their untimely deaths. She couldn't make him worry. That, and what would he think of her if he found out how neurotic she could be.

She was trying to suppress the urge to scream at the man working the machine to let her off when she felt a warm hand press into her outer shoulder and pull her flush against the man next to her. She peeked her eyes open just enough to see Nate's other arm come around her front. He squeezed her lightly against him. This man, barely an acquaintance, was now embracing her. She tensed up at first, concerned he was going to attempt something inappropriate until he spoke.

"Your color is coming back. That's good."

Mel hadn't realized he was comforting her. Her mental state had led her to believe the worst of every action. As much as she didn't like to admit it, it did serve as a distraction and if she were going to be completely honest, she couldn't remember the last time she felt this relaxed. Her heart rate and breathing slowly returned to normal. She looked up, finding the night sky full of twinkling stars. Determined to keep her mind focused on anything but the death machine she was riding in, she decided maybe a little conversation would help.

"Thank you, Nathaniel. I feel much better now." She said, unconsciously leaning into him.

Nate was warm and he smelled great. While he did remove his left arm from around her middle, he continued to keep his right over her shoulders. Melody imagined this was what owning one of those giant teddy bears was like, but it wasn't time for that. She needed words, something to keep her mind occupied to keep the peaceful feeling she was beginning to experience.

"Are you able to see the stars this well in California?"

Nate followed her line of sight, staring up at the sky and replied with a quiet, "no."

"You must be from one of the cities then. I know from experience that it's near impossible to see the stars through smog and the bright city lights."

"You could say that." He replied even softer than before.

Nate's eyes held a faraway look as if the stars reminded him of something. Melody craned her neck, searching his features and wondering what he was thinking about. He didn't say anything but she could sense that whatever it was, it was painful for him to recall. She dropped her gaze to his hand holding onto the bar next to hers. It appeared as though his fingernails were once painted to match the color of his hair, though most of the polish had chipped away. Like the color on his nails, she couldn't help but wonder if whatever was bothering him was chipping away at his heart. The woman, feeling the urge to comfort him, placed both of her hands on his.

The action pulled Nate from reminiscing and he dropped his gaze to hers. A soft smile tugged at his lips. 

"Thanks, Mel." He said, ruffling her hair.

A flurry of emotions suddenly surged through her at his words. She was happy that she was able to help him, overjoyed that she now had a new friend as friends were never easy for her to make, but also embarrassed he had to see such a negative part of her personality so soon. She turned her face away, hoping he didn't see the blush forming over her cheeks.

The ride began to move again and Mel instinctively squeezed her hands, digging her fingernails into Nate's knuckles in the process. The man obviously felt that and how tense she was and pulled her into another friendly hug.

"You can close your eyes and lean on me if you want. I'll tell you when the ride is over." He said.

"Thank you, but I think I'll be okay." She replied.

Mel didn't want him to see how flustered his simple actions were making her. Any closer and he might feel how hard her heart was pounding in her chest. However, after the cart passed by the attendant and once again rose, she took him up on his offer. At least Cassie wasn't there to see them. Mel would never hear the end of it if she was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Forgot to add this when I uploaded it but I (Syn AKA Celest) created a discord server for those who read and enjoy my fics. I post updates on fic and art projects as well as post the links to updated chapters as soon as I update them. Kiddun is also there, so you get the fun of hanging out with both of us.
> 
> If you're 18+ and looking for a safe place to hang out and meet some pretty chill people, please consider joining:
> 
> https://discord.gg/5AdQ9bU


	4. A Date Worse Than Death

Belphie walked silently along next to his twin. The chatty redhead had taken up the lead, pointing out the different attractions the fair had to offer. She was acting like neither of them had been to a carnival before, even though they occasionally visited the one that traveled across Devildom. Beel was attentive to the woman's words, turning his head this way and that to look at everything she was pointing out. Of course, he acted like it was his first time at a fair, it  _ was _ the first time he noticed anything other than the food stalls after all.

The navy-haired man shoved his hands into his pockets and dipped his head low. He had no intention of actually showing up tonight. He planned on telling his brother he was much too tired to go and was going to sleep. Beel most likely would have stayed home too to keep him company. He never got to hatch this plan because of that stupid, nosy wench Cassie. She showed up at the B&B excitedly hooting and hollering about the evening plans which got Martha's attention. After Cassie left, Martha asked how the two were getting to the fairgrounds. When Beel said they were just going to walk Martha scoffed and got her husband to agree to drive them down, then told the twins to ask one of the girls for a ride back.

Belphie knew he still had the chance to weasel his way out of the plan, but the look on his twin's face was all it took for him to change his mind. Like it or not, the two of them were stuck in the human realm. The least he could do was let his brother enjoy himself from time to time.

The group continued walking deeper into the fair, passing countless booths along the way. While Cassie wasn't exactly the biggest or toughest looking person in the group, she was the loudest, warning other visitors she was coming. Everyone moved out of the woman's way with a smile. Some greeted her by name, others just waved.

"So, have we decided on what we want to do first?" Cassie said, spinning around to look at everyone behind her. "Wait, where's Mel?"

Belphie instinctively checked over his shoulder at where the fourth member of their party was supposed to be. He shrugged his shoulders and slouched a little lower. It didn't matter to him where the woman went, all he wanted to do was get this stupid night over with. Back home, he liked going out with his brothers and experiencing new adventures. Here, however, he hated it. Humans were stupid and selfish. They called Demons the evil ones when it was truly them that were evil. They blamed all their bad decisions on creatures they probably never interacted with before. It was just another thing piled on top of all the reasons why he hated these creatures. And now he was one of them.

"Knowing Mel, she probably chose to stay wherever she lost us. I'll just shoot her a quick text to let her know we're on our way back!" Cassie exclaimed, swinging a miniature, light blue-colored mini backpack, patterned with watermelon slices, off her shoulder.

Before she had a chance to unzip the thing, Beel spoke up, "I'll go look for her."

Belphie lifted his head and glanced at his twin, wondering what was going through the giant man's head at that time. His brother always seemed to offer to help whenever it was needed. Always so thoughtful and caring, especially to those he had an emotional attachment to. What Belphie couldn't understand was why Beel was like that. Belphie rarely gave two shits about anyone that wasn't his family.

"In that case, I'll go too." He said, not wanting to be left alone with probably the most annoying thing in existence.

"Nah, I'm sure Nate can find her easy on his own. You come with me! I can show you everything worth doing here!" Cassie said, grabbing hold of the smaller man's wrist.

Belphie turned back to his twin, silently pleading with him for help. The woman had a surprisingly strong grip for a human female and he didn't seem able to free himself from her. He wasn't sure if that was because he no longer possessed his demonic strength or if that was something unique about Cassie. Beel smiled and waved as the distance between them increased.

"Have fun! I'll see you guys later!" Beel called out, before spinning on his heels and walking back the way they came.

This punishment had to be worse than Diavolo intended. Living as a human until their natural death was one thing, but spending an evening with this loud-mouthed, obnoxious, nosy woman was the worst thing Belphie could possibly imagine. He'd rather be horrifically eaten by Cerberus, reborn, and eaten again repeatedly until the end of time than endure a few hours alone with her. Yet, here he was, being dragged away from his brother. 

"So, here's the plan, first we'll hit up a bunch of the rides. I got you a bracelet so we can go on all of them if we want. Then we'll…" Cassie prattled on.

Belphie quickly tuned her out. He didn't care what she had planned for their evening. He managed to squeeze his arm out of her grasp then slowed his pace, hoping he'd lose her in the crowd. Unfortunately, she noticed and swiftly took hold of him again.

"Keep up! We can't afford to have another person go missing! Come on, we're almost to the roller coaster!"

Belphie once again tore his arm from her hand and glared at her as she spun around.

"You can do whatever you want, I'm gonna go find my brother." He grumbled, ready to take off.

It was the first time since coming to the human world that his twin wasn't near his side. Even while working hard for John and Martha, they were still close enough to easily locate one another if need be. Here, there was no telling where the other was. It made Belphie feel insecure. He had it in his head that the two of them would survive this punishment at each other's side, never expecting a pair of women could so easily pull them apart.

"Why are you being so difficult?" The red-haired woman asked.

"I'm difficult? You're the one dragging me and assuming I even want to go on one of these stupid rides." He spat.

The argument that broke out between them caused some uneasy gazes and whispers from the people surrounding them. Belphie shot those he could see a warning look. Everyone he locked eyes with turned from his gaze and went on with their activities. He hated the fact she was drawing attention to him.

"Then what do you want?"

"I want to find my brother and leave." He answered truthfully .

If he were to be completely honest, he'd tell her how disgruntled he was by the entire situation. Being forced to go to this stupid fair only to have that other woman, whatever her name is, to disappear causing his brother to offer to go look for her. He didn't blame Beel for his actions. That's just how he was, stepping up to help those in need. It was also possible that the other twin had an ulterior motive. By breaking away from Cassie, who was adamant about going on rides first, Beel could possibly make his own choices by getting food first. That was the whole reason why he wanted to come in the first place.

That was why he was now stuck with this loudmouth, night-ruining woman who dressed halfway between a child and a harlot. She was wearing a bright pink halter top that exposed her midriff with a pair of short, green shorts adorned with fake rips. Her long red hair was pulled up into a high ponytail on the back of her head.

"Tell you what," Cassie started, pulling the man from his thoughts, "the rollercoaster has this big hill part. You can see the entire park from up there. If you spot Nate while we're up there, we'll go look for him."

"Fine." Belphie quickly agreed.

Any chance he had of getting away from this woman's clutches and back to his brother's side, he would gladly take. A plan quickly formed in his mind. He knew Beel well and Cassie had provided the brothers with a very basic layout of the park. While on the ride, he was going to follow the path they walked to get here, back to the front. If he doesn't locate his brother along there, he'd check the concession area next. There's no way he wouldn't be able to find him.

"Buuuut, if you don't find him, you're stuck with me until we run into them!" Cassie added, pulling him along to join the back of the line.

Belphie huffed at the added condition, but he kept his grumblings to himself. He didn't think he'd fail. Beel was easy to spot in a large crowd and he was about to have a full bird's-eye view. The coaster rattled over the track and slowed, coming to a stop at the start. The current passengers offloaded, some of them wobbling on their feet. Belphie rolled his eyes at the fragility of these humans and crossed his arms as the pair inched closer to the front of the line.

After this group of passengers took their turn, the coaster cars began filling up again. Belphie grumbled to himself about the world having too many humans on it. All he wanted was to ride the stupid thing and locate his brother. The pair in front of them were the last allowed to enter. The man played with the silver tips in his hair, not caring that he was glaring at each passenger. The ride began, leaving him and Cassie behind, standing at the front of the line.

"Nice, we get first choice at seats!" The redhead exclaimed excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Belphie scoffed at her reaction and turned his attention to the coaster rolling noisily along the track. It's passengers screamed and hooted every time it swooped down a decline and when it took a sharp turn. He thought of the roller coasters back home. This one paled in comparison. This one would be better suited for a small demon child, not a full-grown one.

The coaster once again came to a stop at the gate after its run of the course. As soon as all of the previous passengers safety exited the area, the conductor opened the gate to allow them passage. Cassie once again took a hold of Belphie's wrist and dragged the man all of the way down to the end. She didn't release him until she climbed into the last car and patted the seat next to hers. He made a face and took the seat. If it weren't for the deal they made, he'd never be here in the first place. Mirroring her movements, he strapped himself securely as the operator walked down the row of cars, checking each and every person's belts and bringing the lap bars down over them.

Belphie watched as the older man sauntered back to the gate and pressed the start button. The ride slowly began to roll across the track, picking up speed as it moved along. Belphie kept his eyes straight ahead as the car jiggled and bounced, twisted and jerked along its track. Cassie hooted and hollered excitedly, throwing her arms into the air each time it went down one of the declines.

Finally, after what felt like a century, the coaster reached the incline Cassie had told him about. It slowed almost to a crawl as it clacked up the hill. Belphie turned his attention to the way they came, not wasting a single moment. The higher they went, the more he could see, yet he couldn't seem to locate his twin. Just as the front car was reaching the top, he turned his gaze to the location of the food trucks but before his eyes could focus on anything, the coaster suddenly dropped down the steep decline, pulling their car along faster than he expected. Cassie shrieked with delight as they barrelled down the track, around a loop, then a really tight turn, before finishing its run of the track. Belphie growled to himself. He missed his opportunity. It was foolish of him to check the way they came first. Had he checked the food stalls immediately, he might have spotted his brother.

Once the ride came to a complete stop, Cassie turned to him.

"Did you see them?" She asked, undoing the lap bar.

Belphie shot her an unamused glare and undid the restraints keeping him in. Cassie giggled at his reaction as he stormed down the wooden steps to the exit. He tried to shake her off as she slipped her arm into the crook of his elbow to no avail.

"You know what this means, right?" She teased, guiding him deeper into the park.

Before he could so much as think of a sarcastic retort, she was dragging him off to another ride, followed by another, and then another. All of the thrill rides filled with screaming people, Cassie being one of them.

The next one she dragged him to, looked like a bunch of oversized, brightly colored teacups, sitting on saucers. He watched as they orbited around a large teapot in the center while each one spun individually. Almost like the way the planet orbits the sun while turning on its axis.

"Man, I'm glad there's a line for this one. Spinning around after all those ups and downs could end up making us spill our tea." She laughed, playfully nudging him in the ribs.

Belphie shook her off but couldn't help the wicked idea from planning inside of his mind. If it was anything like the one at the fairs back home, he knew by turning the steering wheel in the middle  of the cup would cause it to spin faster. If he did this, hopefully, Cassie would end up feeling unwell and end the constant barrage of rides. A sneaky little smile tugged at his lips as he imagined the look on her face. She'd be forced to sit down on a bench for at least a little while, offering him some much-needed rest.

Cassie didn't notice the sinister look on his face. She was too busy watching the teacups spinning and dancing around the kettle.

When it was finally their turn, Cass bolted in the direction of the bright pink cup furthest from the entrance, nearly taking out another couple in the process.

"Sorry!" She called to them, climbing into the seat, "this one is my favorite."

Belphie followed along with his hands shoved in his pockets. He kept up his slow and steady pace, being the last person to enter their spot.  He slid into the bench-like seat next to the redhead and noted the lack of security belts around them.

Once he was seated, the ride began. Playful music drifted from the teapot in the center. The surrounding teacups began to spin while making their revolution around the centerpiece. When the cup they sat in finally reached its normal speed, Belphegor placed his hands tightly onto the center wheel and cranked it as hard as he could. Cassie squealed with delight; her body sliding from where she sat. Belphie was disappointed. The cup did spin faster but not as fast as he was intending. It seemed there was some sort of safety feature in place to prevent the cups from spinning too fast.

With his plan now ruined, he crossed his arms and sat back. There had to be something this annoying woman wouldn't enjoy and he was determined to find out what it was.

After the ride was over, the pair departed the structure. Cassie was a little wobbly from being spun and she grasped onto the ex-demon's arm for support. As much as he tried to shake her off, he wasn't able to. The way she held onto his arm caused a few curious glances from some of the citizens around, yet he just couldn't get her to lay off.

As they walked, they passed a large building, decorated with spooky decorations. Well, spooky for humans anyway. The entrance looked like a mouth with sharp, threatening teeth.

"What's this place?" Belphie asked, gesturing to the building in question.

"That? It's a multipurpose building. Sometimes they hold auctions there, sometimes a cattle drive. In the winter they turn it into a skating rink." Cassie answered.

By the way she deflected his question with an unhelpful answer and the way she was pulling his arm to drag him away, Belphie could tell she wasn't interested in the attraction. Even scared of it. He, of course, knew it was supposed to be some sort of haunted house or frightening experience. Belphie eyed her curiously, noting her paling complexion, her widening eyes, and narrowing pupils, the warmth of her hand increasing tenfold. She was scared. This was so much better than making her a little sick to her stomach.

"Let's check it out." He said, moving toward the entrance where the ticket man stood.

"Fuck no!" Cassie gasped and released his arm.

Belphie spun on his heel and grabbed her by the wrist to prevent her from taking off, "that means 'fuck yes'. Call it payback for all the stupid rides you forced me on."

Cassie slowly nodded in agreement. Scared or not, Belphie wasn't going to let this go. He kept his grip on her wrist as he pushed past the doors.

Once inside, the sounds of the screaming people and carnival tunes were replaced by music much more similar to what he was used to. The building was barely lit and the two had to wait a little bit for their eyes to adjust to the sudden change in light. All they could see from where they stood was a glow in the dark arrow pointing in the direction they needed to go.

Belphie began his descent down the narrow, dark passage. He wasn't surprised when someone with a bad makeup job at the end jumped out at them. Cassie let out a shrill scream causing a faint smile to tug at Belphie's lips.

This happened a few times throughout their exploration of the building. By the fifth time, Belphie was beginning to get bored with the predictability; though he never got bored of her screams. They turned a corner, finding a surprisingly bright, empty passage. Cassie breathed a sigh of relief and loosened the tight grip she had on the cuff of his shirt. About halfway down the hall, the lights suddenly went out. Cassie whimpered, sensing some impending terror. She wrapped her arms around his arm and squeezed her chest into him. Belphie felt along the wall with his free hand, navigating the long, black space. At the end of the hall, in the direction they were moving, a single light flickered on, revealing a ghostly white and bloodied apparition. It jerked its head to the side, staring down at the two of them with solid black eyes. Cassie froze in place and pressed herself closer to the man she held.

"Let's go back." She whispered.

"No way, we're almost to the end!" Belphie scoffed, taking a few steps forward to drag her along.

Cassie released her hold on him and bolted down the passage the way they came. Belphie went after her, not wanting to let her spoil his fun. He heard the light at the end behind him click off and just as she was about to reach the door they came in through, a light at that end clicked on, revealing the same blood-soaked person as before, right in front of the terrified redhead. Cassie screamed so loud, Belphie instinctively covered his ears. The woman turned as fast as she could and ran straight into him, knocking him back a few steps.

"Please, please, Noah, get me out of here."

Belphie couldn't stop the sinister snickering from escaping between his teeth. This was definitely worth the ridiculous amount of rides she made him go on. He peeled the woman off of him and took her hand to guide her the rest of the way out. She kept her eyes closed for the remainder of the attraction but still whimpered at the eerie sounds they heard. After a few more jump scares and some more bad special effects, Belphie found the exit door and pulled the woman back outside. The happy sounds of the carnival-goers and the bright lights flooded his senses. The sun had finished its descent in the sky while they were in the haunted house. Belphie held a soft smirk on his lips, overly amused by her reactions.

"C-can we go get something to eat?" Cassie said weakly.

"How about we do the Haunted House again and then go get food?" He retorted with a triumphant smile.

The look on her face was all he needed to burst out laughing. Cassie looked a little startled by his reaction but quickly composed herself. She stood up straight and crossed her arms defiantly.

"I'm kidding. Let's go." Belphie said once his laughing came to an end.

He was in a much better mood now after finding a weakness of hers to exploit. With that, he'd be able to tease and torment her for his own amusement until he and his brother inevitably move away.

Belphie had no intention of staying in Twin Hills for long. With no information on how long the two of them would be living in the human realm, he thought it best to not get too comfortable in one place. That and his hatred towards these creatures might cause him to lash out at one of them again.

Remembering which direction the food trucks were located from his vantage point on the coaster, Belphie took the lead. He weaved between people with Cassie hot on his heels. She must've been feeling better because her mouth hadn't stopped moving in the last couple of minutes. Belphie wasn't sure what she was talking about. The thought of food made him think of Beel. He wondered if his brother had had anything to eat yet. Even after a week's worth of work done for John and Martha, the pair still had very little money. Belphie had split up what funds they had evenly, but that was probably not enough to cover what they'd need for the night. Martha was kind enough to feed them dinner for free before they left, insisting the food at the fair was very unhealthy and she couldn't stand the idea of the boys having carnival food for a meal. Even still, between food and games, the twins would most likely deplete their small savings if they weren't careful. Belphie pulled his wallet from his back pocket and opened it up. He examined the funny looking bills inside of the pouch, counting the numbers in the corners. Twenty-six dollars was all he had on him. That was more than enough for food for him. Cassie peered over his shoulder at that moment.

"It'll be my treat." She said, moving to walk beside him now. "It's the least I can do since I insisted you come out tonight."

Belphie tucked his wallet back into his pocket. It was awfully nice of Cassie to offer something like this. Although when they met she had invited them over for a free meal, he still had it in his head she had an ulterior motive. He couldn't help but wonder what her gameplay was. He had been nothing but cruel and rude to her yet she still treated him the same way she treated everyone else. Why? The more he thought about it, the less he seemed to understand, but a bigger question popped into his head. Why did he care? No, he didn't care. He was just overthinking things like he always did. Pushing the ridiculous thoughts from his mind, the pair entered the concession area of the park.

The food Cassie purchased for them was about what Belphie expected from a human fair. Cassie bought them for corn dogs, candy apples, churros, and various other junk food. When he questioned her choices she replied with, "I consider today to be my cheat day!  I didn't know what you'd like so you can eat whatever and I'll eat the rest."

Belphie made a face at this comment. That sounded like something Beel would say, but he didn't want to make any connections between the two. To him, the woman couldn't even hold a candle to his brother. He shook the thoughts from his mind, not wanting her to probe him with questions about it. He wasn't about to share anything more about himself with this woman than he already had.

"What's that face for?" She commented.

Great. Even the tiniest change in his expression and she was on him like Levi on an anime bender.

"Nothing." He murmured, picking up the breaded hotdog.

Cassie huffed at his response. He could see she was beginning to feel as annoyed as he had. Learning that keeping to himself was getting under her skin was just another thing he could use against her. She was giving so much away about herself and making it so easy to torture her. At least he could get a little amusement out of this terrible situation until he and Beel inevitably move on.

After their incredibly unhealthy meal, the pair began to wander around the park to let the food digest. Between getting the opportunity to torture Cassie and gorging himself on sugar, Belphie was in a surprisingly good mood. He no longer felt the crushing exhaustion he normally felt. A little grin rested on his features as he walked side by side Cassie. The redhead, of course, went on and on, but whenever the twin found her too annoying, he'd tease her or scare her to get her to stop. Every time he did so, she'd playfully smack his arm, and he laughed at her expense.

Neither of them checked out any of the booths they passed. The small stuffed animal prizes weren't worth a second glance and most of the games required strength or accuracy that Beel was better suited for. Belphie didn't want to waste his money attempting to get a prize he didn't even care for.

As they walked, Cassie tapped his arm and pointed ahead of them. Belphie looked in the direction she gestured to and saw the familiar broad shoulders and orange hair of his brother. How he hadn't noticed Beel was beyond him as his twin stuck out amongst the crowd. He went to catch up to the other half of their party when Cass pulled him back.

"Wait, it looks like they're heading for the Ferris wheel. Let's just follow them for a minute. I want to see how this goes."

"You're kidding, right? I've spent the whole night with you." Belphie scoffed, wanting to be reunited with his brother.

"Mel is terrified of any sort of ride. I've never been able to convince her to go on one. I want to see how she reacts." She offered.

The man thought for a moment. As he watched, the smaller woman nervously twisted her fingers while his brother stared in wonder at the attraction. He could tell Beel was pretty dead set on going on the ride. Interrupting them might cause the larger twin to give up on his idea. Belphie didn't want to stand in the way of his brother's enjoyment so he quietly agreed. He and Cassie slipped into the line behind the others and watched.

Belphie was a little surprised when he and Cassie were able to step onto the ride without the other pair noticing them. Beel was too busy looking around at all the sights as the cart they sat in swayed back and forth. Melody had her eyes squeezed shut, already fearful.

The ride moved once more and since he and Cassie were the final pair to enter, it didn't stop for some time. He watched his twin for a while, staring in wonder at everything until he lost sight of him as the ride circled around. The gentle swaying, the crisp summer air, and the soothing sounds of the wind were enough to relax the man. His head lay on the shoulder of his companion and with his eyes drifting closed, he fell into a comfortable sleep.

A little while later, Belphie woke to the sensation of someone gently shaking him. Cassie's singsong voice stirred him more from his slumber. He lifted his head from her shoulder and glanced around, noting they were still seated in the cart on the Ferris wheel.

"It's almost our turn to get off." She said to him, stretching the arm he rested against.

It took him a few seconds for his sleep fogged mind to clear, but when it did he realized what he had done. Falling asleep and leaving himself open was not a smart move. How had he managed to be so comfortable around this vapid woman enough to fall asleep? He shook his head. That wasn't it. He was simply so exhausted he just couldn't stay awake any longer.

"You missed the entertainment," Cassie said with a grin, pointing to the pair in the cart now behind theirs as the wheel made its final rotation. He witnessed his brother moving his arm from the back of the cart and Melody scooting to the other side. Belphie narrowed his eyes. Out of the two women, he never expected the brunette to be the one to watch. She was far too close to his twin for comfort. The last thing either of the twins needed was to find themselves developing feelings for one of the despicable, disgusting creatures. The brunette didn't seem like a threat. She was quiet and reserved. Didn't ask too many questions about their history. She answered Beel's questions, no matter how silly they seemed without laughing at his lack of human knowledge. She was like him.

_ She was like him. _

He should have known better. The one to watch was not the one that attracted attention to themselves. They fell into the women's trap without even realizing it. That's what he thought, at first.

"They'd make a cute couple, wouldn't they? Knowing Mel as well as I do that would take months." Cassie said with a laugh.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice a little harsher than he intended.

"Oh, well, Melody has this bad habit of self-sabotage when it comes to men." The woman explained.

Belphie didn't immediately believe her, thinking this could be some kind of ruse. However, because he couldn't think of a logical reason as to why these women would even want to break the brothers apart, he decided to shove his intrusive thoughts into the back of his mind. He and Beel would be leaving this shithole of a town soon enough.

As soon as the ride came to a stop, Cassie unclipped the bar over them and sprang from the seat.

"Come on, let's catch up to them!" She said over her shoulder, skipping in the direction the other two went.

Belphie pushed himself out of the cart and lazily stretched his arms over his head. He was in no hurry to catch up to the speedy redhead. After all, he did just wake up. Though he was looking forward to seeing his twin and saying goodbye to this stupid fair, he knew Cassie wasn't going to let them out of her sights. As soon as Mel and Beel were within earshot, Cassie called out, "Hey, you two!"

Beel and Melody turned at her words. The tall man mirrored Cassie's gesture as she waved frantically to them. Belphie shoved his hands in his pockets but quickened his pace, soon finding himself at his brother's side.

"You two were looking awfully cozy on the Ferris wheel." Cassie teased, playfully poking her friend's arm.

Mel swatted her hand away as the blush on her cheeks expanded slowly over her features.

"It wasn't what it looked like." She mumbled, turning her face to the ground.

"Yeah," Beel piped up, "Mel was scared and I felt bad since I wanted to go on it."

That made sense to Belphie. Knowing more about their situation made him relax just a little bit. Unless Mel was an incredible actor _ (unlikely),  _ he didn't feel there was any other reason to suspect her completely. For now. He was still a little suspicious of her, especially since she seemed impervious to Cassie's annoyance.

The four began to walk toward the exit of the park. Belphie was happy to hear the four of them would be returning home soon and this entire, mostly awful night would be behind him. His brother seemed to be in high spirits, sharing all the interesting stuff he did at the fair. When he mentioned a certain blue stuffed animal, he gestured to it tucked in Mel's arms. Belphie couldn't help but notice how soft and fluffy it looked. Mel caught him staring and offered it to him to see. When he took it between his hands he realized,  _ he needed one _ . It was the perfect size and shape to become a pillow. Something he could call his. The pillows at the B&B were not to his liking and he found himself stuffing blankets into the pillowcase to fluff it up to no avail.

"You want one?" Cassie asked, dragging the quiet twin from his thoughts. "I'll win you one. The thing is on our way out anyway."

When they arrived at the attraction, Belphie didn't believe Cassidy would be able to ring the bell at the top. Her arms might have been slightly more muscular than the average woman's but they were still scrawny in his eyes. He figured Beel had no issues achieving such goals, so when Cassie stepped up, slammed the hammer down to raise the bell, he scoffed. It rose about three-quarters of the way up before coming to a stop, then sliding back down to the bottom. The smaller twin turned to the other and spoke:

"Perhaps you'd like to show her how it's done?"

When Beel stepped forward, Cassie hugged the hammer to her chest and jutted out her other arm to stop the man from advancing toward her.

"That was just a warm-up swing." She huffed.

She paid the man for a second attempt and took her stance. Belphie rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He had a feeling they'd be there until the fair closed before she even came close to ringing the bell. Glancing over to his right, he paid close attention to the expressions of the other two members of his party. Beel held a look of curiosity at the red-haired woman, stepping up to take her second shot and Melody just looked plain bored. Belphie looked between the two for a minute, gauging the distance between them before hearing a loud ring take his attention away. He turned toward the other woman as she handed the hammer back to the attendant to claim her prize. The man went to hand her a green lion when Belphie interjected.

"Not that one." He said, pointing his finger to the one he wanted; a black and white stuffed cow hanging against the wall of prizes. "That one."

Cassie looked where he pointed and handed the lion back to the gentleman, then demanded the one Belphie requested. The man made a face but took the cow down regardless and held it out to the woman. With a look of pride in her eyes, she stepped over to Belphie and pushed the stuffed animal into his chest.

"You only get to keep it if you stop fake smiling and keep on smiling for real like you did today. I like you better when you aren't so miserable all the time." She said.

Belphie took the soft, plush stuffie into his arms. He had no reply. He didn't think this woman would actually say something like that to him. With his eyes trained on the back of her head, he followed her and the rest of the group out of the fairgrounds to a small red car parked in the back of the lot.

"How are you guys getting home?" Cassie asked, leaning against the passenger door as Mel made her way around to the other side.

"Ah, we were supposed to ask you guys for a drive back," Beel mumbled.

"That shouldn't be a problem, right Mel?"

Melody looked up from her side of the car. She was just about to climb into the driver's seat when Cassie called to her.

"No, no problem at all." She replied, disappearing into the car.

"Nate, you should sit in the front seat cause there'll be more room. Let me just adjust the seat for you. Noah, you can sit behind Mel."

Beel nodded and waited patiently nearby as Cassie opened the car door and reached her hand beneath the front of the seat. Belphie didn't exactly want to feel any more in debt to these women than he already did, but the fairgrounds was a twenty-minute drive away from the B&B. It would take at least double that amount of time to walk back. He squished the cow into his chest and moved to the other side of the car, slipping into the seat behind Melody.

When the four were all set, Mel started up the car and carefully pulled out of the lot. During the majority of the drive, Cassie did not shut up. She suggested the twins share their phone numbers with her and Mel so the four of them could stay in contact and hang out again in the future. Beel then apologized for not owning a cellphone. This sparked a conversation about their finances.

"I bet if you guys find a job outside of the B&B, John can change your bill to weekly or monthly rates. It'll be cheaper in the long run." Cassie said, turning her attention to Belphie.

"I agree with Cass, for once. Getting a better paying job will help. I'm sure neither of you wants to live in a hotel for that long."

Beel turned his head to the backseat and met Belphie's eyes, searching for what he thought about it. Belphie stifled a yawn and leaned against the door.

"It's not a completely terrible idea." He said quietly.

"I know the grocery store is looking for employees. That's not a bad place to start, and if I hear about any other jobs opening up, I'll let you guys know." Cassie added with a nod.

"You don't need to do that. We can manage on our own." Belphie grumbled.

He hated this. He felt like a charity case. These women gave them supplies, fed them, entertained them, now they were offering to help with locating a job. It was too much. There was no way any  _ human _ would be capable of such compassion. He stared at Cassie for a moment. Perhaps she was an angel sent from the Celestial Realm to keep an eye on them. His eyes scanned her tight, revealing clothing, and laughed quietly to himself. No angel would dress like that. Cassie questioned why he was laughing but Belphie kept it to himself, hugging the cow even tighter.

"Fine, don't tell me. I'm only letting it go because you seem to be in a better mood."

Belphie shook his head and turned his attention out of the window. Mel slowed considerably when entering the village. They weren't the only fairgoers returning for the night and many of the cars were slowing to turn down side streets. Mel pulled up in front of the B&B.

"Thanks for the ride," Belphie said softly.

He didn't want to spend any longer with Cassie. She was so hyper it felt like she was sapping his energy. Cassie stepped out from the backseat as Beel got out of the front.

"Thanks for inviting us out!" He said joyfully.

"It was our pleasure, we're glad you guys had fun." Cassie waved them off before taking the front seat next to Mel.

Beel waved some more to the car pulling away from the curb. Belphie was already halfway up the stairs by the time his twin caught up.

"What did you and Cassie do at the fair?" He asked, following the other.

"She tortured me with rides, I tortured her in the haunted house. What did you and the other do?"

Belphie barely listened as Beel explained his night, focusing mostly on the food he had. He took out the key to their room, unlocked the door, and shuffled over to the bed at the far side of the room. Now that he was back "home", exhaustion took over him. Crawling into the bed, he heard his brother wish him goodnight before he fell asleep, holding the stuffed cow tightly in his grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please consider joining my 18+ discord server and hang out with Kiddun and me where we occasionally post Bonus Content!
> 
> https://discord.gg/5AdQ9bU


	5. An Unexpected Customer

  


Cassie drew her arms up over her head and stretched behind the bar. It was a Friday night, yet oddly quiet considering the hour. Wait, not odd. It was Frosh week. All of the usual college students were out checking out house parties rather than hitting up the bars. Aside from her three favorite regulars taking up some of the seats at the bar, only one table had any customers at it. It was a young man and woman, clearly on a date. She leaned against the bar and watched the couple flirt as they picked over the appetizer tray in front of them. They were both minors but since the pub doubled as a family restaurant, they were welcome to order anything aside from alcohol until the kitchen closed at eleven.

The redhead glanced at her POS screen and noted the time. The couple only had ten minutes before she was going to have to ask them to leave. Cassie pushed a couple of buttons on the screen to print out their bill, took the slip of paper, and closed it between the folds of a leather book. She circled the bar and bounded lightly over to the couple.

"Don't mean to interrupt, but minors have to be out by eleven." She said, laying the book on the center of the table.

Both of them looked up at her, then down at their phones to check the time for themselves. The man thanked Cassie and picked up the leather book to take a look at the bill. Cassie left them but overheard them playfully squabbling over who was paying for what. She went back behind the bar and noted the level of beer each of her regulars had in their glasses.

"Another one, Pat?" She asked one on the left.

All three men were middle-aged but only one sported a wedding ring. The one she spoke to was Pat, clad in a flannel button-up, and worn-out baseball cap sporting his favorite team’s logo. His skin was weathered and tanned from working under the sun for hours every day. He ran a farm with two of his brother's but he still found the time to come to the bar three nights a week. His wife passed a few years back, leaving him a depressed widow. He, like many others, sought comfort at the bottom of a bottle. Once the initial grief was over, he continued to visit the bar, finding solace in the friends he made while there.

Bill, the man seated in the middle, wore a loose green polo and a zip-up hoodie undone over top. His half balding scalp shone under the dim lights above. Bill was divorced due to his dependency on alcohol. He was your stereotypical working middle-class alcoholic. Once a month, Cassie slips him pamphlets for A.A. Not just because it was part of her job, but because she did want to see him get better. Pat and Liam, the man on the right, did what they could to keep Bill from drinking too much. He was quite a high-functioning alcoholic and if you hadn't seen him at the bar you wouldn't think he had an addiction. Bill owned a hardware store that was doing fairly well in its location. He ran it with his daughter in hopes she takes over the store one day.

The final member of the group, and the only married one, was Liam. He was a little younger than the other two men, sporting a few grey hairs along the edges of his sideburns. He was fair-skinned with a clear complexion. Cassie always found him undeniably handsome and once thought he'd make a good suitor for Melody until she learned he was married. Liam worked for the mayor's office and only ever drank on Friday and Saturday nights because he didn't have work the following day. Though Cassie only worked those nights, she knew from speaking to her co-workers that Liam was there every night, but only had coffee or water. She didn't know why he came every night, but she suspected it had something to do with keeping Bill from getting drunk. Liam had also attempted to persuade the older man into getting help with his issues, but Bill still believed he didn't need any. Bill didn't believe he had a problem.

While Pat and Bill were scruffy manly-men, Liam was smaller, scrawnier, and clean-shaven. His brown hair was always neatly parted and his spectacles sat firmly on the bridge of his nose. He didn't speak much, but when he did you could easily tell how intelligent and well educated he was.

It was a damn shame that he was married.

Not that that mattered now. Now that Nathaniel was in the picture, anyway.

Cassie picked up a clean glass from her tray and stuck it under the tap of Pat's preferred draught at a forty-five-degree angle and pulled the tap open. She watched the amber liquid begin to fill the cup. Once it was about half full, she slowly tilted the cup upright and turned the tap off, leaving the perfect amount of foam on top. She carried it over to the three men and replaced the empty glass with the full one.

"There you are, hun." She said cheerfully.

Pat offered her a wide smile showing off his yellowing teeth. Cassie smiled back and moved to the other end of the bar where the young man appeared, holding onto the leather receipt book. He looked up at her nervously, his blue eyes scanning the rows of liquor bottles lining the wall behind the bar.

"All set?" She asked, reaching her hand out to take the book.

"Do you guys take credit?" The man said quietly.

Cassie suspected he had insisted on paying but must not have had enough cash on hand or in his account to cover the meal. It was cute how hard he was trying to be a proper gentleman, but she knew that nowadays women liked paying for their share. She nodded in response to his question, keeping quiet to not alert his date. He placed the book into her hand and leaned awkwardly against the bar as Cassie took it over to the register to cash him out and charge the card. When she looked down at it, however, she noticed the name on the car appeared to be quite feminine, then she looked at the back of the receipt where he had written: "it's my mother's card. She insisted I take it to pay for everything."

Cassie beamed at the words. This little mama's boy was trying so hard. It warmed Cassie to see there were still good men in the world. After ringing the bill through, she returned to the boy and handed him the card and receipt to sign.

"Word of advice, let her pay for the next date," Cassie said.

He looked up at her and nodded as his cheeks reddened. After thanking her, he left some money on the counter as a tip and returned to lead his date out of the building.

Cassie loved her job. She met so many interesting people, heard a lot of great and wonderful stories from all around the world, and got to rub elbows with some pretty well-known musicians all while working every weekend. She had missed this place. For the last four weeks, the building was closed for renovations and she wasn't able to work. She thanked her lucky stars that she managed to literally run into Nate and Noah and take them to the fair during that time. Had those events taken place any other weekend, she probably would never have met them so soon. Though she had no doubt that in the small town of Twin Hills she would have eventually met them regardless, it was nice to do things she normally wouldn't have been able to do otherwise.

Cassie ran her fingers over the sleek, new bar, proud that this beloved establishment had finally gotten the makeover it needed. The old, torn ugly green wallpaper had been replaced with navy blue paint. The disgustingly sticky carpet was now a beautiful hardwood floor, easier to clean up when a guest inevitably spills their drink. All of the booths and tables were replaced, turning the old pub into the place people wanted to be. The owner had even dished out some bucks for a brand new stereo system and some flat-screen TVs.

Cassie bopped along to the music she had playing while the three remaining customers stared at whatever game was on the tv. It must've been baseball given the time of year.

Before renovations, the bar was known as The Grizzly Bar and sported a lot of bear pictures. The most notable piece of bear memorabilia was a six-foot-tall statue affectionately known as Bo the Bear. When the place was rebranded as The Grizz, everything aside from Bo was removed. He was sort of their mascot and they dressed him up with the seasons and holidays around that time. Currently, the large wooden bear was sporting a hardhat, gloves, and a construction vest since the renovations had only just finished. Cassie looked out of the window at him guarding the door and thought that he'd soon be donning his fall gear.

While she busied herself cleaning up the now empty table of the dishes she thought back on the month she had off. Well, half had off. The Grizz wasn't her only job. She worked here every Friday and Saturday from one in the afternoon until three in the morning. Sundays and Tuesdays she worked at Vincent's in Twin Hills as a waitress. That still left her with five days a week to do whatever she wanted during her month off from The Grizz. She used her time off wisely, touching up her roots, painting her nails, and of course, taking Mel shopping. Kind of. While Cassie wanted to buy dresses and shoes for the woman who dressed either like a trendy old lady or a school teacher, Mel insisted they needed more dishtowels and maybe a cover for the couch since Cassie keeps dropping crumbs between the cushions. Cassie did get what she wanted after a few days, convincing the woman to buy a couple of dresses that showed just a little bit more skin than Mel would normally wear. After that, Melody said no more and shooed Cassie off to find someone else to bother. The second week into her "vacation" the redhead found herself going out for a jog more often than she usually did, just to give Mel a little time to herself.

That was why she ended up running into the twins and inviting them over for dinner. It was also why she was able to visit the fair, though she still wasn't over being dragged through the Haunted house attraction. A week later and she was still having nightmares. She was definitely going to get Noah back for that, even if it was worth the quiet snickers and soft smiles he showed.

Since Fridays were usually packed and the place was still clean since it only recently opened, Cassie wasn't sure what she should do. She never really got quiet moments while working here. After cleaning the one table, she returned to her place behind the bar and leaned against it in front of the three regulars. During the next commercial break, Bill looked at the young woman in front of him and smirked.

"Heard you were spotted at the fair with a man on your arm last week. Is it possible our wild child has finally decided to settle down?" He said in a teasing tone.

Cassie scoffed and stood up straight, crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. She turned her attention to Liam who suddenly became very interested in the new flooring. Bill only ever hung out with Pat and Liam. Pat wouldn't have been at the fair since he works early in the morning and has no children. Liam was a family man with two sons in elementary school. She clicked her tongue at him and returned her gaze to Bill.

"Absolutely not! I was only putting up with him because his brother is, like, perfect for Mel!" She grumbled.

Before the men could question what she meant, the door to the pub opened. Cassie looked up to see a tall man with raven black hair enter the building. She eyed his curious outfit. She hadn't seen too many men sporting a waistcoat so casually, especially not one that was blood red. It was also interesting how the jacket he wore was hanging over his shoulders rather than his arms in the sleeves. Cassie put on her best customer service smile and walked up to him when he took a seat at the far end of the bar.

"Hey there! Don't mind me asking but I'll have to see your ID before you can order anything."

The man met her eyes with a hardened stare. The black and crimson irises flared in annoyance but he said nothing. His gloved hand reached into the inner pocket of his jacket to retrieve a leather wallet. After rifling through the cards inside, he retrieved the one she requested and held it out toward her.

Cassie didn't really need to see his ID. While she couldn't exactly tell how old he was by looking at him, she did know he was at least old enough to drink. If she was to ballpark his age, she'd say he was between twenty-five and forty. The real reason why she asked for his identification was purely to satiate her curiosity. There was a lot of information she could gather just from one glance at a driver's license. She took the card between her fingers and held it up to the light, scanning the words before her. It was a New York license so he had traveled a least a little bit and his address was one in the City. His name was Lucius Smith, his birthday was the sixth of June, 1984 putting him at the age of thirty-six and he was six feet tall.

"New York," she whistled, handing the card back, "what brings you here?"

"A beverage. Scotch. Neat." He replied.

Cassie pulled out a chilled glass from the cooler and picked up their finest bottle of scotch they had along the shelf. By not requesting a specific brand and the air of aristocratic temperament surrounding him left the redhead to believe he could probably afford the entire bar. The bottle was fitted with a special nozzle to prevent bartenders from pouring too much of the alcohol at once. Since a neat pour often has a little bit more in it than a drink with ice or mixer, Cassie uprighted the bottle then tipped it back over to add the additional half ounce. The man didn't appear to be in the mood to talk, which was a shame because Cassie loved talking to customers and learning about them, especially those who appeared as eccentric as Mr. Smith. She placed a round coaster onto the wooden bar in front of him and then the glass on top of that to prevent the condensation from damaging the finish on the bar.

"Would you like to start a tab or will you be paying for this by itself?" She asked.

Without removing his gloves, Lucius picked up the glass and swirled it around before taking a sip. "A tab, please."

Cassie really only started tabs for their regulars since weekends often left her so busy it was a risk to start a tab for everyone entering the bar. Though it was unlikely she would forget a drink, charging for each individually prevented drunken parishioners from attempting to dispute their bills. She turned to the POS and started up the tab under his name and added the one drink. Wondering what the man was here for, Cassie laid out all of her charm and leaned in the bar in front of him.

"You know, if you're looking to pick up a woman, you've come to the wrong place." She gestured to the mostly empty building.

"I'm not interested in finding a woman." He said coldly.

"Gotcha. If you need any help with anything at all just let me know. Place will probably start filling up soon." She said with a wink.

The man's dark eyes glared at what she was insinuating. Something about him reminded her of Noah. Probably was just how unapproachable he made himself to be, much like the smaller twin. She wasn't lying when she said the bar would be filling it. While it was Frosh week, she knew from experience that those who were old enough to drink would wander in after whatever house party they attended ran out of booze or was broken up by the police. That usually happened before midnight. She had a feeling a long night was ahead of her, expecting to see a numerous amount of fake IDs being brought in by hopeful freshmen. Cassie was smart and did her research on how other state's licenses looked, committing each one to memory.

Bill whistled her over, shaking the empty glass he held. He was on his third and she knew it wouldn't be long before Pat and Liam would get on his case about slowing down. She picked up a clean glass and poured his drink in the same manner she poured Pat's just a few minutes before, then she took it down to the older man, clearing away the empty one.

"You mentioned finding a perfect guy for Mel. You're still trying to set her up after two years of failure?" Pat asked, turning his attention from the TV.

These men probably knew Melody as well as anybody even though they had only met her a handful of times. Cassie just couldn't help herself from gossiping about her roommate whenever the opportunity presented itself and it just so happened that opportunities happened a lot in her line of work.

"Of course I am! I'm never giving up until she finds her prince charming. Hang on a second, I snuck a few pictures of him when no one was looking!"

Cassie bounced over to where she kept her phone hidden and unplugged it from the charger it was on. The pictures were taken at the B&B when she had gone over to speak with Martha before taking the guys to the fair. Nate had been given the job of fixing the door to the downstairs bathroom that was beneath the stairs and was just a few feet away from the front desk. Cassie already had her phone up with Snapchat running as she took a couple of selfies with Martha using some of the funny filters the app offered. When Martha turned away to tuck away the new recipes Cassie gave her and to retrieve some of hers in return, the young woman spotted the giant ginger diligently working away. In one photo, he was holding the heavy door while John screwed in the new hinges. The second photo was him politely chatting with the older man; a smile spread across his lips. There were a few more pictures she swiped through, showing the three curious middle-aged men.

"He doesn't look anything like the guys you usually set her up with." Bill pointed out. "Isn't her type more like guys like Liam? You know, smart, nerdy types?"

Cassie glanced at the man in question, noting the blush that marred his cheeks. It wasn't an uncommon sight. It was pretty easy to make the youngest man in the party embarrassed and Pat and Bill often took full advantage of that. Cassie turned back to Bill and pulled her phone from his hand, slipping it into her apron to put away later.

"I think that was the problem. I stopped looking for guys  _ Mel _ would think she liked and went for one  _ I  _ believe she'd like. Nate's really sweet. She needs a sweetheart considering her past relationships." She explained.

Pat nodded. Cassie told them just as much as she knew about Melody's history, but even then that was very little. The brunette didn't like to share too much about herself, especially since her mother still chastised her for her choice.

"Well, if things don't work out with this Nate guy there's always that guy," Pat added, nodding his head in the direction of the stranger at the end of the bar.

Cassie looked at him. He was staring at the TV overhead, but it didn't seem like he was really watching it. More like he was trying to appear as if he was watching it. The woman couldn't believe she'd ever meet someone in this day and age who dressed more conservatively than Melody. His outfit covered the vast majority of his body. The only skin showing was his face and a sliver of his neck. Cassie shook her head.

"Something tells me that guy wouldn't be interested."

She wasn’t lying and it wasn't just about his response to her previous comment. Something about him just told her he had to have been committed to someone else in some way. With the leather gloves covering his hands, there was no way to tell if he donned a wedding ring or not.

"Tell us more about these brothers you've met. You've got us curious." Pat pried as Cassie stuck the used glass into the dishwasher.

She leaned against the back of the bar and crossed her arms in thought. There really wasn't too much to tell about them, but she mentioned what she could.

"Nate and Noah, they're twins. Said they're from California. They're living in the B&B in Twin Hills. Nate's a gentle giant and a foodie as far as I can tell. He's down for anything if it involves food." She said with a laugh. "His brother is… something else. He refuses to talk about himself like ever. He also refuses to let Nate mention anything about their life before the hills."

The hills were what the native residents called the nearby small village. She didn't know why they deemed it that since it wasn't exactly shortening the name by any means but she soon found herself calling it that as well.

She mulled over her thoughts for a moment, thinking about the few instances she had spending time with the two men. Suddenly remembering something, she snapped her fingers and stood up straight.

"Right, they call each other Belphie and Beel. Apparently, their father gave them all demonic nicknames. Mel heard a bit more from Nate but not much. I guess Lucifer and Mammon are nicknames of their oldest brothers. She mentioned a Levi, too. Lots of kids that family has!"

The mood in the bar shifted. The three men on one end all shuddered at the name Lucifer and Liam went so far as to cross himself, pressing his fingers to his forehead, his chest, to his left shoulder, then to his right before bringing his hands together in silent prayer. Cassie did too, but in a faster manner than the other, breathing an apology for using that name.

The man on the end looked away from the TV to the four at the other end. The red-haired woman, attuned to the movement, turned her attention to him. She expected him to require a drink refill or something but he held a light glint of amusement in his eyes as he sipped more of his scotch. More curious than ever, she moved over to the POS system and looked down at him.

"So tell me, Mr. Smith. What business do you have in Fairview?" She asked.

"I'm here for work." He replied, vaguely.

Cassie expected that sort of reply. He didn't seem too willing to give up anything about himself. She picked up the bottle of scotch and unscrewed the nozzle preventing her from over-pouring. Tipping the lip of the bottle to the man's glass, she poured a generous amount of the amber liquid into it. If anything could get people to open up, it was alcohol. She contemplated inviting the twins over for drinks but she knew how Mel could get when she was drunk and that might cause her plans to go up in smoke.

"This one's on me." She said with a smile, screwing the nozzle back on.

The man raised his glass to her as thanks and took a healthy sip. The amused look in his eyes grew and a soft smirk tugged at his lips. He definitely reminded her of Noah. It appeared to her that he was aware of her intentions and might have been playing along for his own enjoyment.

"What do you do for work?"

"One could say I dabble in the art of acquiring information." He replied.

"Oh, well if that's what you need, I'm your girl! I know all sorts of things, sugar." Cassie said proudly.

Mr. Smith chuckled softly at her words and eyed her curiously. It wasn't a creepy sort of "I'm thinking naughty thoughts about you" but more of an "I am delighted by your company" kind of look. Cassie too believed she dabbled in the art of acquiring information and people enjoyed telling her their stories. There was just something about her that caused people to open up to her. Well, most people. Mel took a little while and there were some subjects she refused to talk about. Obviously, Noah has no interest in sharing anything about himself, and Nate was locked behind his promises to his brother. She figured she would one day wear them down and find out everything about them.

"Are you now?" He chuckled again. "Why don't we begin with introductions? My name is Lucius Smith, although you knew that already."

Cassie met his laugh with one of her own, "Cassidy Lane. It's a pleasure to meet you."

She jutted her hand out toward him, expecting him to shake it as everyone else would. Instead, he grasped only her fingers, turned her hand palm side down, and placed a feather-light kiss onto the back of it. Cassie's heart jumped into her throat. He held her gaze with his own and released her hand. She pulled it back and held it against her chest for a moment or two, organizing her thoughts. In this time, in this town, people didn't do that. Chivalry and romantic gestures were a rarity and Cassie wasn't sure how to react right away.

After her heart slowed back to normal she waved him off, "and here you were telling me you aren't looking for a woman."

"I'm not." He answered, palming his cup once again.

Cassie didn't get the chance to speak to Lucius much more that evening. The expected steady stream of college students quickly filled up the remaining tables and bar stools. She had to kick out four people for already being too wasted. Serving them was a liability she couldn't take. She confiscated eight fake IDs and argued with another two people who claimed they left theirs at home. She had seen all the tricks underagers would take to try to sneak into her bar. Thankfully, shortly after midnight, the police started their patrol of the downtown hub and most of the youngins took off to their dorms or to the club that accepted anyone over eighteen for a night of dancing. That being said, Cassie was still incredibly busy, running this way and that, pouring drinks, making change, flirting with everyone for better tips. She ended up being so busy she had to call her boss to come in and help. Technically, she wasn't supposed to work alone, but she was the only one available to work that night. Her boss, Steve, insisted that he'd come help close up and that she could call if she needed any help.

The bar didn't empty out until around two in the morning when she announced the last call. Pat, Bill, and Liam had left around one, the three of them sharing a cab like they always did. By two-thirty, only one customer remained, Lucius Smith. Cassie closed out his tab and placed the receipt on the bar in front of him. She felt a little nervous when Steve opened the floor hatch behind the bar and ducked out of sight into the basement, leaving her with the stranger, but someone needed to check the kegs. Lucius plucked his wallet from his pocket and rifled through the stack of bills it contained. His bill was only around twenty dollars but he paid with a fifty.

"It is a shame I didn't get to speak with you for much of the night Miss Lane." He said. "Though I'm sure we will be seeing each other again very soon. Have a wonderful evening."

"Just call me Cassie next time. Miss Lane makes me sound old." She laughed while her thoughts swirled in her mind. Cassie could usually read people pretty easily. It was like her superpower. She always knew which people were genuinely good and those who might hold a more sinister background. The thing was, with Lucius, she couldn't read him at all. That was what made her so anxious around him. She had no idea if he was someone she could be safe with alone in an empty bar or if she should be calling Steve to come up and trade places with her. Even still, the man drew her eyes to him as he stood and politely bowed before turning on his heel and disappearing out of the door.

A few minutes later, Steve popped his head out of the basement hatch, frightening the poor girl.

"Jeez, you're jumpy tonight. I'm ready for the bottles." He said with a laugh.

Cassie scolded him for making fun of her and began plucking the alcohol bottles off of the back of the bar and handing them to her boss to be stored until the next day. The mundane task caused her mind to wander and she couldn't help but think about the mysterious stranger. Was he some sort of private detective? FBI? CIA? What was he doing in small-town America? What sort of information was he trying to obtain? And about who?

As much as he made her nervous, she couldn't wait for the next time she met him to unravel the mystery. That and he also left her a thirty dollar tip.

After the bar was closed down and tidied up, Steve walked her to her car like he usually did whenever he happened to work with her. He didn't like the idea of his female employees walking by themselves since the parking lot was rather large and dark and employees were required to park near the back. Steven didn't drive, in fact, he lived only a few doors away from The Grizz in a small apartment above a restaurant. He was only a few years older than Cassie but had inherited the business at the age of twenty one when his father passed away. He had just gotten his degree in business when it happened. Since he took over, the business began to flourish.

During Cassie's half-hour drive from Fairview to Twin Hills, the anxiety she felt around Lucius quickly slipped into annoyance. In just a few short weeks she managed to meet not one but two suspiciously mysterious men who offered almost no information about themselves. Things would be so much better if people just told her what she wanted to know instead of having to pry information out from them. Though it seemed they each had their reasons. Lucius was probably some sort of government agent tracking down someone and Noah might have gotten himself into trouble and was on the lam. Wouldn't it be funny if the information Lucius Smith was trying to gather was on Nate and Noah Darte? Cassie laughed at the preposterous notion she thought of. There was no way the twins could be hiding out from anyone. Especially not with Nate sticking out as much as he did.

She cracked more jokes to herself about the twins being secret spies that the government was trying to take down up until the point she pulled into the driveway of the home she shared with Mel. Even as she entered the quiet home and made her way through the dark halls, she continued to snicker to herself. She wasn't worried about waking her roommate. Mel slept like the dead.

As she passed by Melody's bedroom door, she noticed a couple of bags sitting next to it. She knew Mel liked to shop, especially when she was stressed out, but the store logo printed on the side of the bag was surprising to her. After glancing around the quiet house to confirm Mel was in fact asleep, she peeked inside of the bags. A smile crept over her lips when her brain sorted out the items she was looking at.

"Claims she isn't interested, yet buys the man clothes. I'm gonna need a new word for 'denial' because it's not strong enough to describe Mel." She whispered to herself.

Cassidy stood up and helped herself to a glass of water from the kitchen. She threw herself onto the couch and surfed her social media, catching up on any tea she missed while at work. Thinking back on it, she wished she could have snapped a picture of Mr. Smith while the night was quiet. For no reason other than that she liked to document interesting things in her life, which reminded her to grab her diary and write down the day's events.

The redhead grabbed her diary from the place she kept it in her room and laid on her bed. She wrote about meeting the strange man at work, Lucius Smith, and how interesting it was for her to meet so many unique individuals in such a short amount of time. She wrote about Liam's latest blushing moment and the other man's comments. She added the discovery she made when she arrived home before saying goodnight to her diary and tucking it away.

Cassie stifled a yawn and spent the rest of the night… early morning… getting herself ready for a much-needed rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Nanowrimo the writing has been coming so quickly! However, it leaves nearly no time to draw and I only allow myself to draw when I reach the daily word goal XD I was lucky enough to manage to get this chapter's comic completed.  
> Thank you all for your support and patience as I tackle all these projects at once.
> 
> If you're interested, please come hang out with Kiddun and me on my personal discord server. Due to the content I write, the server is 18+  
> https://discord.gg/5AdQ9bU


	6. Pool Rule #7: Never Swim Alone

  


Melody walked down the sunny, quiet main street of Twin Hills. It was a walk she took just about every day. She passed the fire station and the bank, crossed the street that led down to the school, passed the pizzeria, the diner, and the hardware store. The next building on that block was the library, which was her usual destination. Today, however, it was not. Her grip on the two bags she was carrying tightened as she looked over at the B&B John and Martha ran. It had been roughly a week since she and Cassie took the twins, Nathaniel and Noah to the fair. Melody hadn't seen them since that night. She was busy preparing for the beginning of the school year which had started on Tuesday. Cass tried to drag the brunette with her to visit over the course of the week, but Mel always found an excuse not to go.

While she hadn't visited them, she thought about them often. Primarily Nathaniel. Not for any romantic reasons, of course! No, she wanted to thank him for being so kind and keeping her calm on the Ferris wheel. Her face flushed recalling the warmth of his arm over her shoulders and his hand cupping hers. Not only did she want to thank him, but she wanted to apologize for her behavior. She thought about it long and hard and decided her actions weren't appropriate. She should have been honest with him from the start and told him she didn't want to go on the ride. Yes, he might have been disappointed but if she had known Cassie and Noah were right behind them, she could have convinced one of them to go on with Nathaniel.

Mel sighed and looked down at the bags in her hands. While she did want to apologize to Nathaniel, she wasn't sure if she was ready to face her embarrassment just yet. Instead, she decided she'd find Noah and leave the gifts with him, hopefully escaping the building before the ginger found her. She needed more time to build up her courage.

Melody looked both ways and crossed the road to where the B&B was located. Not seeing anyone outside, she walked up the steps of the porch and pushed the front door open. A bell rang from inside of the building, signaling to John or Martha that someone had arrived. It was Martha who greeted her.

"Oh, good afternoon, Melody! I didn't expect to see you here today." Martha said with a smile when she stepped out of the door hidden behind the counter where the main office was housed.

"I'm sorry, I should have let you know I was coming. I've brought a care package for Nathaniel and Noah Darte." She explained, showing off the two bags.

She called them "care packages" as if she spent an hour or so collecting small items the twins would need, when in reality she spent four hours visiting multiple stores that supplied men's clothing, attempting to find something she believed the twins would like. Keeping it quiet from Cassie to avoid her probing questions, she waited until Friday when the redhead was off working at The Grizz but took too long deciding what to get, that by the time she returned to Twin Hills, it was already quite late. It still worked in her favor since Cassie was still in bed when she left to deliver the gifts.

"Oh, I see! Well, Noah isn't in right now. He got himself a job at the grocery store the other day, but Nate's here, working in the backyard." Martha explained.

Mel thanked the other woman, trying to mask the nervousness in her voice. It was too late to turn back around. She was just going to have to face her fears and get this over with. Clutching the handles of the bags tightly, Melody walked down the long, narrow hallway to the back door. She didn't even have to open the door before she saw Nathaniel sitting on the cement poolside through the glass. His back was to her as he hunched over whatever task he was working on for the older couple.

Melody instinctively corrected the collar on her white, short-sleeve, button-up shirt and smoothed down her hair before she slid the door open. The sound of the door opening caught his attention and he turned his head to see who was coming outside. His face lit up and a wide smile broke across his features. Melody tried to ignore how hard her heart was pounding in her chest, stepping out onto the deck. Nathaniel pushed himself off of the ground and dusted his palms off. The ground where he worked was surrounded by a bunch of tools and a half-put-together lounge chair. It seemed like an odd job for him to be doing with the pool season ending soon, but odd jobs were what John had him do. She wasn't surprised to see the navy blue shirt he was wearing had the collar cut off like the one he wore at the fair. He was clad in a pair of grey and black basketball shorts that hung down to his knees and a pair of colorful sneakers. "Hey, Mel! What are you doing here?" He said, joyfully.

"I hope I'm not intruding on your work. I picked up a few things for you and your brother yesterday." She replied, joining him at the poolside and handing over the bags she carried.

Nathaniel took them from her and set them down on the lounger he was building. "You didn't have to get us anything!"

"Well, it's kind of a joint gift. I wanted to thank you for last week. I'm afraid my reaction to the Ferris wheel was childish. I should have expressed my fear before getting on. I'm really sorry for putting you through that, but I also wanted to express my gratitude." Mel explained. "Things would have ended differently if you hadn't done what you did."

Seeing his toned arms and the sound of his voice had the recent memory come surging forth in her mind. She brought her hands to her chest to hide how bad they were shaking and took a step away. Nathaniel didn't notice her reaction as he was already peering into the first bag, mumbling about something smelling good. In her nervousness, Melody had forgotten all about the lemon bars she had made. The man pulled the large Tupperware container from inside the bag and pried the lid off. Assuming they were for him, he picked one up and stuffed the entire square dessert into his mouth. Mel had actually made those for Martha. She was playing around with a new recipe and wanted the older woman's opinion on it. At first, she was going to admit to Nathaniel that the treats weren't for him, but seeing how much he enjoyed them, she decided she'd just make a new batch for Martha another day.

"Don't fill up on sweets, you'll ruin your lunch," Mel said, watching him scarf down a second then a third square.

Nathaniel's head jerked up from the Tupperware and a blush lightly dusted over his cheeks. As far as she could tell, he was so absorbed in the sweets he had forgotten she was there. He swallowed the last bit in his mouth, wiped his lips on the back of his hand, and closed the lid.

"You're right. I'll save the rest for later." He smiled and licked his fingers before wiping his hands on his shorts.

If Mel were with someone she knew a little better, she'd scold him for using his clothes as a napkin, but she felt like she had done enough just by getting him to stop eating them all. Sometimes she found it hard to turn off her teacher switch, even when she was around other adults. She needed to remind herself that she wasn't at school and Nathaniel wasn't one of her students. It wasn't up to her to reform his bad habits.

Nathaniel turned his attention back to the bags on the table. He stuck his hand in and pulled out a dark green zip-up hoodie and held it up to himself, noting the size difference.

"That bag is for your brother," Mel interjected. "The other one should have things for you."

The ginger nodded and stuffed the hoodie back into the bag and grabbed the other one. Melody started feeling a little nervous and thought about excusing herself. She didn't need to be present while he checked out the items she bought for them, but part of her wanted to know what he thought about them, and also if they were the correct size since she had to guess. Inside of the bag was a handful of shirts with lower necklines Mel figured Nathaniel might appreciate. After seeing the way he cut the collar off of the last shirt he wore, she thought athletic-style ones suited his preference. Judging by his reaction, she was right. He lifted up the first article of clothing and smiled at the fabric. It wasn't anything special. Just a sleeveless, black athletic shirt decorated with the maker's company logo across the front in bold white letters. Nathaniel put the shirt on the table and dove back into the bag, rifling through the pile of clothes inside of it.

"These are perfect! Thanks, Mel!"

"There's a few hoodies in there too. It'll be cooling down soon as Autumn moves in. If anything doesn't fit right, I can exchange them for the correct size." She said, proudly watching him examine each article.

"You're the best!" He exclaimed.

To her surprise, Nathaniel didn't hesitate to try on one of his new shirts. He curled his fingers around the bottom hem of his shirt and quickly pulled it up and over his head, showing far more of himself than Melody intended to see. She gasped and took a step back, not realizing how close she was to the pool.

In an instant, the vision of his perfectly chiseled body was replaced by a blue sky and fluffy clouds. Mel clamped her mouth and her eyes shut, feeling the cool water of the pool quickly surrounding her. In the ensuing second of sinking deeper into the pool, her immediate thought was  _ stupid _ . She didn't have any more time to dwell on her embarrassing moment beyond that as she heard Nathaniel's muffled voice call out her name in a panic and the sound of more water splashing. Mel bobbed slightly, being displaced by Nathaniel's form crashing in. Before she had the chance to right herself and swim up to the surface, she felt the man's strong arms wrap around her middle and pull her tightly into his chest. Before the brunette even had a chance to register what had happened, she was being propelled out of the water. Nathaniel shifted his hands under her arms and lifted her with ease, sitting her on the sidewalk of the pool.

"Are you alright?" He asked, pushing the wet hair stuck to her face out of the way so he could properly examine her.

Nathaniel pressed his hands to her warmed face, gauging her temperature. He didn't realize the reason why her face was so red was because of him and not because of her trip into the pool. The water lapped at his collarbones as he stood still shirtless in the water. Droplets of water dripped from the tips of his hair and nose and ran down his strong jaw to his chin. Melody tried to quell the hammering of her heart by taking deep, calming breaths through her nose. She nodded in response, afraid if she spoke something more embarrassing might come out of her mouth.

Nathaniel didn't need to jump into the pool to rescue her. Melody was a pretty strong swimmer and while she was a little disoriented from falling backward, she still had enough wits about her to attempt to correct her position. There was no way for the tall man to know this about her so she accepted his heroic effort.

Satisfied with her nonverbal response he moved to her side, placed his hands on the side of the pool, and lifted himself out. He stood next to her and offered his hand. Mel tentatively placed hers within his and watched as his fist swallowed her hand with ease. With his assistance, she stood and was led away from the pool edge to prevent her from somehow falling back in again. When he released her hand, she took a couple of steps away from him and averted her eyes. The water made his shorts cling so tightly to his skin it accentuated certain parts of his body Mel knew she should not be seeing. She didn't know what to say. She was so embarrassed by what had happened her brain nearly shut down. Part of her wished she could run home and hide, but there was no way she could do that with her clothes soaking wet. With her luck, Cassie would be awake and start bombarding her with questions before she took two steps through the door. On the other hand, she couldn't very well hang out at the B&B all day without something else to change into. As she mulled over what she was going to do, Martha flew out of the door as fast as her little cane could take her with a stack of towels on her left arm.

"I was in the kitchen when I saw the whole thing. My goodness, Melody McPherson, you gave me such a fright! It's a good thing Nate was there to jump in and pull you out!" Martha's voice boomed across the yard.

Melody wanted to shrink inside of herself to hide even more. She could have tried to defend herself, claiming she would have been fine otherwise, but there was no talking to Martha when she was in this state. The older woman handed the towels to the giant man.

"Get something for this girl to wear home, would you, dear?" She said to Nathaniel. "God forbid she walks home like that showing off her brazier to anyone who might glance her way."

Melody gasped and looked down at her now very translucent shirt. The white bra she wore underneath was very noticeable against her pale, peach skin, calling attention to her curves. She wrapped her arms tightly over her chest and stole a glance at the man. By how red his face was, she concluded he had noticed as well, though he didn't say anything about it. Martha left the couple to their own devices and slowly made her way back into the B&B, no doubt to spy on the two much like Cassie would.

With her back turned to the man, Mel mumbled a quiet, "can I have one of those towels, please?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted his hand holding a forest green towel in her direction. She took it and quickly wrapped it around her shoulders and turned to thank him. He was positioned away from her, using his own towel to pat dry his chest. She could see the profile of his face and how red he still was. Nathaniel turned his face at the sound of her voice, catching her gaze with those damn mystifying eyes.

"Make sure you dry your hair, too, so you don't catch a cold." He said.

Mel turned back around to hide the heat coming to her face once again. She pulled the towel over her head and scrunched her hair within the fabric, squeezing out the remaining water. It took everything she had to ignore the man behind her so she could focus on how she was getting home. Unfortunately, her mind betrayed her and all she could think of was the memory of her falling into the water and him briskly rescuing her. She dropped her hands and twisted her fingers nervously.

"I'm really sorry for causing you so much trouble," Mel said, her voice sounding meek. 

"You didn't cause me any trouble." He stated.

From the way the brunette stood, she couldn't see him pulling the athletic shirt he held before over his head and smoothing down the wrinkles on his stomach. She didn't see the look of happiness on his face, finally owning a shirt that didn't bother him. She had no idea how much this thoughtful little gesture meant to him. All she could think of was how incredibly stupid she was for falling into the pool because he took his shirt off. She dropped her head and sighed. Her experiences with Nathaniel were so vastly different than with anyone else, she wasn't sure how to behave around him. It was true that she was normally shy and awkward around strangers, especially those of the opposite sex given her history with them, but this man treated her differently than anyone else she'd met before. Men usually did find her strange personality endearing, at first, but it never took long before they started to find her annoying. Because of this, she built a wall around herself and began to act the way people would expect her to. Keeping everyone at arm's length with her somewhat cold demeanor meant only the most stubborn of men considered pursuing her. Men that wouldn't take no for an answer. Men that she had no interest in. She gave up on the possibility of a long-lasting, loving relationship two years ago. Nathaniel, however, seemed oddly immune to her guarded nature. He didn't seem bothered at all by how she was, nor did he pry too much about her personal life, yet he didn't seem completely disinterested either. He was friendly, thoughtful, and considerate and treated everyone he met with the same attitude and respect.

Melody looked at him and watched for a moment as he vigorously rubbed the towel over his orange hair in an attempt to dry the strands. A warm smile appeared on her lips while she pulled the towel taut over her chest. Nathaniel looked up and returned her smile with one of his own.

"That's better." He said, dropping the damp towel around his shoulders, then added, "You were frowning before."

Melody blinked a few times, trying to decode the meaning behind his words. He seemed far too nice to be insinuating she was prettier when she smiled like a lot of older men in town felt keen on telling her. The smile he spoke of slipped from her features and her brow furrowed in thought. She stared off, losing herself inside her mind like she often did. Overthinking was a problem for her. She was always trying to find hidden meanings behind a person's words and gestures. Well not always. Her distrust towards others didn't really reach its peak until she left the last man she was with.

She jumped when she heard the sound of Nathaniel pulling off the lid to the Tupperware container to help himself to more lemon bars. With no logical explanation coming to mind, Mel thought the best course of action to satisfy her curiosity was to ask Nathaniel directly. She was still embarrassed about everything that has transpired, but she managed to swallow the lump in her throat to ask. When she did, the man looked up from the container of sweets.

"Life is just better when you smile, isn't it?" He proposed.

Melody was completely dumbstruck by his answer. Maybe her experiences made her a little cynical, but she never expected him to reply with something so profound. Of course, she understood that when he said "you" he didn't mean her specifically, but everyone in general. Everything about him began to click for her. The reason why he was the way he was, at least in her opinion, was because he always found something to smile about. No matter what was going on, or what mood he might be in at the time, he always seemed to bounce right back into his happy-go-lucky self. Melody would have figured he was just a naïve person, but she knew that wasn't true just from the few conversations she had had with him. He was the most optimistic person she had ever met, and in the village of Twin Hills, she had met a lot.

Nathaniel's sunny disposition brightened the young woman's mood considerably. While she was still reeling over how incredibly stupid and awkward she was, she no longer felt the need to run away and hide. Before, she would have preferred never having to lay eyes on this man again because his presence would just become a constant reminder of these moments. Now, she found herself wanting to spend time with him more. Not to develop anything more than just a friendship with the ginger, of course, but by having someone positive like him in her life, might help the woman grow into the person she wanted to be. She didn't like who she was, deep down inside, and secretly wished she could be a little more outgoing and optimistic like Nathaniel was.

Melody let her smile shine through again and moved a few steps closer to him. With one hand holding her towel closed over her chest, she reached out and placed her other hand lightly on his wrist. His head snapped up from the desserts he nearly finished. She gave his wrist the lightest of squeezes while ignoring the heat that was returning to her face.

"Thank you, Nathaniel. You are truly a wonderful person."

The man's eyes widened for a split second before he whipped his head away. From her standpoint, she could see the tips of his ears turning red, suggesting her comment made him feel a little self-conscious. She pulled her hand away from his skin, not wanting to cause him any distress by leaving it there. Her fingers tingled with the warmth that was left behind and she closed her hand into a fist as if to keep that warmth to herself. His head swayed from side to side as he searched the area for something. Mel had no idea what he was looking for and it appeared to her that he didn't really know either. His eyes landed on the discarded shirt he was wearing when she had shown up. In one fluid motion, he swiped the shirt from the ground and shook any dirt or glass that might have been stuck to it. After a cursory sniff to ensure that the material was presentable, he offered it to the small woman.

"You can wear this to cover your shirt." He said after slightly clearing his throat.

It was clear to Melody that he was doing the best he could to change the subject away from himself. She thanked him while taking the shirt with a smile and turned around, pulling the towel off of her shoulders. She replaced the towel with the shirt then draped it over her arm. Nathaniel's large shirt hung on the small woman, coming down to just above her knees. The poorly cut collar was wide enough that her right shoulder also came through when she pulled the fabric over her head. Melody could sense he was watching her from the corner of his eye.

"Look, your shirt is almost long enough to be a dress on me." She joked, trying to lighten the mood. "What do you think?"

Mel moved in front of the man and did a little spin to show off her entire ensemble. This prompted the blush on the man's face to deepen while his eyes trailed over her body.

"It's cute." He breathed, almost inaudibly.

The brunette brought her hands to her face to hide the ensuing heat rushing to her own face, matching his in color. With a soft embarrassed giggle, she busied herself picking up the used towels from around the pool area.

"I should get out of your way so you can finish your work. I'll take these back inside on my way and I'll return your shirt the next time I see you. Oh, and don't eat all of those lemon bars, save some for your brother." She said, bounding up the steps of the deck.

Mel was, kind of, running away from him at that point. She hadn't been around him for that long, but she feared if she stayed any longer, she might exacerbate the embarrassment they both felt. Nathaniel called after her with a goodbye and thanked her for the gifts she brought. His voice sounded slightly less confident than it normally did, but Mel assumed he was still recovering from her surprising him.

With a soft smile on her lips, she pulled open the sliding glass door and went inside. She turned to take one last look at the man she left behind, finding him clearing off the lounger so he could return to his task. She carried the bundle of towels to the front desk where Martha sat, excitedly clicking away on her cell phone with one finger.

"Martha, I'm so sorry for putting you out the way I did. Where would you like me to put these?" Melody asked, holding up the towels.

Martha looked up from her phone and smiled at the younger woman, deepening the few creases around her mouth. Her eyes, shaded behind a pair of bifocals, inspected Mel and the clothes she wore. Mel's damp, brown hair lay in grouped together clumps over her shoulders, darkening spots in the shirt she wore. The older woman chuckled quietly and took the towels, dropping them behind the counter onto the floor. Mel gave her a funny look as Martha wasn't the type of person to put things off.

"Come have some tea with me, dear." She said, standing with her cane in hand.

Of course, Melody would never turn down someone's request especially after the commotion she caused. She followed the other woman back the way she came and onto the kitchen. While Martha busied herself setting up the kettle, Melody glanced out of the window over the sink and spotted Nathaniel diligently putting together the lounge chair he started before. She watched him for a while with the slightest smile on her lips. She noticed the way the muscles in his arms flexed as he cranked the hex key to tighten the screws. Even though it was early September, the sun overhead was still blazingly hot, causing the large man to reach up every now and again to wipe his forehead. Mel leaned against the counter, thinking to herself that she should have left one of the towels for him. Nathaniel reached over the chair he was working on for the instructions to the next part. In doing so, the hem of his new shirt raised up, exposing a thin strip of skin. Mel averted her eyes, feeling her heart suddenly react to the view. She met the eyes of Martha who was smirking at her knowingly. The kettle released a loud whine and the other woman pulled it from its base to pour the hot water into the two cups she already had prepared on the counter.

"You know, men like Nathaniel don't come around these parts all that often." She said, handing one little teacup and saucer to the younger woman.

Melody frowned and followed the other woman over to a small table with two chairs in the corner. She knew what Martha was insinuating and she didn't like it. Having her love life become a hot topic in the village was a nightmare of hers. One she had already been living in since she moved here. Though it was better than the alternative. She shuddered at the thought of returning to the busy life she had in the metropolitan city she hailed from. Taking a small teaspoon, she added a few spoonfuls of sugar to her tea and stirred. The soft tinkling sound of the metal colliding with the china filled the quiet atmosphere. She didn't know how to respond to Martha, but the longer she took the more awkward she felt. Before she could reply, the older woman continued.

"He's popular. You know how this town is with gossip. He's been on everyone's lips as of late. If you wait too long, someone less deserving of his attention might just snatch him up." The older woman said, opening a small tin full of tea biscuits.

Melody waved her hand at the treats. It made sense that Nathaniel would get a lot of attention. Twin Hills didn't offer much in the way of eligible bachelors. Most of the men in town were married, or too old or too young for the women around Mel's age. Just about everyone had dated everyone else and they had to branch out of the small surrounding villages to find someone they didn't know already. Cassie met a lot of her potential suitors while working in the city, but the redhead wasn't interested in anything more than a fling. All of the blind dates she set up for her roommate were also men she met while working, so even Mel didn't date around the hills, not that she cared to anyway.

Mel brought the cup to her lips and blew over the billowing steam. The tea smelled sweet and a little fruity. She took a small sip, letting the hot liquid warm her from the inside.

"I appreciate your concern, Martha, but Nathaniel and I are just friends. I have no intention of starting any sort of romantic relationship with him or anyone for that matter."

"Well, what about that Jake fellow that keeps asking you out?" Martha pointed out.

Mel accidentally inhaled a bit of her beverage with that comment. With shaking hands, she put the tea back on its saucer and covered her mouth with a napkin as she coughed relentlessly. She shook her head back and forth until her coughing was under control.

"Absolutely not! I would never get involved with a coworker!"

While her words might have sounded overly defensive, she was speaking the truth. Getting involved with someone at work was a huge turn off for Mel. For one thing, it was hard enough keeping her personal life and her professional life separate in a place like this, where everyone knew everyone's business. And another, should they date and break up, it could cause a disaster for the school. Personally, she liked to think she was mature enough to handle things if that situation should arise, but she was also the same person who ran out on her ex without a word. Since Jacob didn't seem to take a hint that she wasn't interested, even though she turned him down time after time, she couldn't be certain he'd handle things professionally should a break up occur. Yes, he was smart, funny, and attractive, but he was overwhelmingly stubborn and entitled too. Two traits Melody greatly disliked in a partner.

Martha laughed at the younger woman's flustered state and patted her arm lightly.

"So what's the reason why you won't even consider Nate?" She asked.

Melody swirled the liquid around in her cup, watching it spin around. She didn't really have a  _ good _ answer to that question. What was she supposed to say? That she was hurt so bad in the past that she was terrified of falling in love again?

"I don't know him all that well. I think I just want to stay friends with him for now."

That answer was good enough for now. It wasn't a lie. On the surface, Nathaniel seemed sweet and thoughtful, but there was still a lot about him she didn't know. He was reluctant to talk about his past and any questions about it often led to him shutting down. The little bit she gathered was something bad happened between the twins and their siblings, resulting in them either running away or being sent away. That wasn't much and there was no telling what happened. They had no money, no clothes, nothing yet they managed to make it all the way to Twin Hills from California in amazing health. The whole thing felt too fishy for her to truly consider him for anything above friendship.

Melody glanced at the small analog clock on the wall and noted the time. She didn't intend to be out for long. So much so that she didn't even bring her phone or her purse with her, which was a good thing considering her dip in the pool. She gulped down the rest of her drink, thanked Martha for everything, and briskly excused herself.

It may have been a little rude for her to leave in the manner that she did, but Mel wanted to get home before Cassie woke up. Since Martha witnessed the entire debacle, there was a really good chance Cassie already heard, or would hear, about what went down, but on the incredibly slim chance Martha kept it to herself, Mel didn't want her roommate to catch her wearing Nathaniel's shirt. That would offer way too many questions Mel was not ready to answer, and no doubt half of them would be sexual in nature.

The walk home was awkward since many of the townsfolk were out enjoying their Saturday morning. Melody gripped the front of the shirt tightly, walking as quickly as she could without drawing attention to herself. The longer it took to walk the two blocks to her home, the redder her face became. She thanked herself for not locking the door for once and dashed into the house as fast as her feet would take her up the steps.

Once inside the cool air conditioning of her place, Melody pulled the large shirt up over her head. She held it in her hands for a moment before dropping her head into the fabric as the memories took over her. A new wave of embarrassment crashed over her and she needed a couple of minutes to herself to recover. She took a few deep, calming breaths, inhaling the fresh clean scent of the man she was thinking about. He smelled like one of the more popular brands of men's productions. Strong and pleasant, but not overpowering. It felt almost as if he were there with her, hugging her into his powerful, well-built chest. She closed her eyes and thought about the way his pecs and abdomen looked when he peeled off the shirt she was holding. A smile appeared on her lips and a blush on her cheeks. She might not consider him date-worthy, but she did have to admit one thing to herself: he was a fine-looking man. The perfectly sculpted body, the messy orange hair, and those strange colored eyes made him all the more appealing to the woman, and goodness did he smell great.

Mel lifted her head and looked down, running her thumbs over the fabric. From this point on, she knew she had to be careful. Attraction was a powerful thing and often made people forget themselves. It wasn't uncommon for people to treat those they were attracted to a little differently than they would have otherwise. They were often more forgiving for any shortcomings. There was also a chance of reading into things wrong. Not wanting to receive, or give, any mixed signals, Melody figured her best course of action when dealing with Nathaniel was to try to keep her wits about her. He probably thought she was clumsy and weird because of her behavior the last two times they were together. She needed to build a stronger wall and keep the man at an even further distance from herself, to safeguard her heart. Heaven forbid this attraction turns into true feelings.

She hugged the shirt to her chest, slipped off her drenched shoes and socks, and silently crept through the quiet house. After taking a cursory glance around the kitchen and living room, she surmised Cassie was still in bed and went to make a break for her bedroom.

"I heard about your sexy swim with Nathaniel." A voice called from behind her.

The brunette stopped dead in her tracks, her fingers just inches away from the brass doorknob to her room. She turned around slowly finding her roommate standing in the doorway of her room with her arms crossed over her chest. Her stance looked a little guarded as she clutched her phone to her chest, but the grin on her lips reaching all the way up to her eyes told a different story.

"Martha messaged me and told me all about it. She also sent me a picture. Do you want to see?" Cassie teased.

Melody felt her face reddening. It was one thing for Martha to have witnessed the entire event, but another to have taken a picture as it's happening. She knew that by now, half of the village had probably seen it. Groaning in embarrassment, Mel leaned her back against her bedroom door and buried her face into the shirt she still carried. She heard the redhead snicker and her feet scuffing across the hardwood floor. Melody pulled the fabric from her eyes, just low enough to come face to face with the image in question. The picture was slightly blurry and grainy from the zoom, but Mel could make it out clear as day. She was sitting on the poolside with Nathaniel standing in front of her in the water. He had his hands on her face and his fingers weaved through her hair. Mel couldn't make out the expression on her or Nathaniel's face, but she could clearly see how red she was.

"Don't you two just look so cute?" Cassie cooed, waving the phone back and forth. "Did he kiss you? Cause he looks like he's about to."

"What?! No!" Mel gasped.

"You wanted him to, didn't you?"

Having enough of her teasing, Melody spun as fast as she could and opened the door to her room. She shut it swiftly in her roommate's face. The thought of doing anything intimate with Nathaniel never crossed her mind before, but now it was. She didn't even realize how close their faces were until seeing the picture. Did he consider it? At the time she thought he was only concerned about her, but she never really could tell what went on in the minds of others. Hell, she had a hard enough time figuring out what went on in her own.

Melody dropped Nathaniel's shirt and dug through her dresser for a new outfit. She had plenty of time to figure everything out. Right now, all she wanted was to get out of these clothes and wash the chlorine from her skin.


	7. All Good Things Come to Those Who Know Cassie

  


Two days after the pool incident, on a warm and windy Monday afternoon, Beel bounded down the steps of the B&B with an armful of bedding from one of the rooms. Now that Belphie was working at the grocery store, Beel was given some more domestic work to do. Martha had sent him off to replace the sheets in all of the rooms on the upper floor. Since the older woman had trouble with the stairs, it was a job usually delegated to the smaller twin. She had to show Beel how to properly make the beds, having him make one up in a room on the main floor over and over again until he got it right. This was his final task of the day. It was still early enough in the day, he thought he might go out and see if any places around were hiring. He carried the bundle of sheets in his arms over to the front desk where he found Martha speaking to Cassie. He could tell by their hushed tone that they were gossiping again. They stopped their conversation as he moved a bit closer.

"Hey, Cassie!" He said to the bubbly redhead then turned his attention to the other woman. "Where do I put these, Martha?"

"Just set them in the basket next to the washing machine." The older woman gestured to the door behind the desk.

"Alright, I'm gonna head out to the gym here in a minute, Martha," Cassie said, standing up.

Beel froze and turned to look at the two women quickly finishing up their conversation. The redhead was clad in a pair of black bicycle shorts and a loose, light-pink, slightly see-through tank top that all but barely covered the very noticeable black sports bra she wore underneath. Her long hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. It appeared as if she wore only a small amount of makeup, probably to keep herself from sweating too much off. Beel knew from the moment he met her she was athletic like he was but this was the first time he heard anything about a gym. He quickly excused himself to the back office room where the washer and dryer were stored and dumped the load of linens into the basket. When he returned to the front desk, Cassie was just about to head out through the front door.

"Uh, Cassie? Can you tell me where the gym is? I'd like to check it out when I'm finished working." Beel quickly asked, hoping she heard him before she made her escape.

"Yeah, of course! I have been meaning to tell you about it and just kept forgetting. It's right on Main Street in the little strip mall on the outskirts of town. Just follow the road in the same direction you'd take to get to my house and you'll find it easy." Cassie explained then added, "oh, and you and Noah should come over tonight. I'll make Mel cook."

Beel agreed to the offer and thanked her for the information. He hadn't been to a gym since he came to the human realm. While the work John and Martha gave him did offer a little bit of cardio, there were still a lot of muscles on his body that were lacking the training he normally did.

With a smile on his face and thoughts of possibly getting to do some real strength training again, the ginger returned to the work that was given to him. He stepped back into the room behind the desk to collect the clean bedding he required to finish his job. There were four rooms upstairs, including the one he shared with his twin, that required clean linens. Two of the rooms housed a single double bed, and the other two had two single beds.

As the man left the office and headed back upstairs, he heard the older woman humming quietly to herself. It seemed everyone was in a particularly good mood that day.

It took the man longer than he expected to make the six beds up. When he was just finished laying a fluffy, white comforter on Belphie's bed, the last one he was doing, Martha came in and requested he remade one of the doubles in another room. She told him he was doing great work, but that one looked a little ruffled and her guests should have their rooms looking perfectly. Beel didn't understand why she went through so much trouble. If it were up to him, he wouldn't bother making the beds unless guests were using the room. However, Martha was a bit strict and wanted the bedding changed weekly if there were no guests, and daily if there were. The twins used to have their sheets done daily, but since Belphie was at one point in charge of the laundry, he requested they also have theirs done weekly. Martha agreed since the twins were employees at that point. Beel finished up remaking the last bed to Martha's standards and turned to her. She was leaning against her cane, watching him dutifully complete his job. Her eyes lit up and she nodded in approval.

"That's all I have for you to do today. Why don't you go on down to the gym and see what they offer for memberships? I'm sure with Noah working, you can afford it." She suggested.

"Alright, thanks, Martha. Do you need any help getting down the stairs before I go?" Beel asked.

Martha scoffed and shooed him away, exclaiming he was beginning to sound like John and that she didn't need anyone else fretting over her. Beel knew she was really careful going down the stairs but he couldn't help worrying over her. The older woman had a tendency to rush herself, putting herself at risk for falls. The man decided to head down the stairs with her anyway, just to ease his own mind. She scolded him the entire way but he knew that was only her pride talking. They both knew that if anything should happen, it was better if he was there than not.

Once Martha was safely behind the counter, sitting on a little cushion on her chair, Beel said his goodbyes and left the homely B&B. He plodded down the old wooden steps and made a mental note to himself that he should ask John if they should replace them as they creaked loudly beneath his weight. It was a fairly warm day even with the strong breeze blowing the man's already messy hair around. He followed Cassie's directions, politely waving to the townsfolk he passed. Many of them now greeted him by name. The twins had only been living in the small village for just over two weeks, but Beel had already begun to make a name for himself. He was often complimented on his friendly and helpful nature though those people usually commented on Belphie's rough personality as well. The villagers didn't take to the smaller twin as easily. It made sense, Belphie still loathed all of humanity and did whatever he could to avoid talking to them as much as possible. As much as Beel tried to get his brother to at least attempt to be nice to people while they lived out their punishment, he was treated to Belphie's cold shoulder for a few hours until he apologized.

The walk to the outskirts of town where the strip mall housing the gym took the man about twenty minutes to get to. He eyed the building for a few minutes, thinking to himself. The gym was smaller than he expected. Through the windows on the front, it appeared they only had two or three of each type of machine gyms typically housed. His eyes scanned the large sign in the window that read; "Memberships as low at $29.99/m first month free. Ask for details inside."

The place didn't seem all that bad. He still didn't understand the money they were using, but he did know that was around the same price the B&B charged for a meal. He left most of the budgeting up to Belphie. He was better at calculating that sort of thing.

Beel pulled open the door and stepped into the lightly air-conditioned building. Two women, one with thick, curly black hair and flawless chestnut-colored skin, and the other a blonde with freckle covered fair skin, looked up at him as he entered. He didn't recognize them from the people he normally saw around the village. The fair one jumped to her feet.

"Hi! Welcome to Fitness Leap Gym. My name is Tori, how can I help you today?" She said, grinning from ear to ear while her eyes scanned his body.

Beel felt a little uncomfortable with the woman's stare and he felt his face going a little red. People looking his way wasn't rare since he was so tall but he hardly ever had someone look at him so… intently before. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly and opened his mouth to reply when he heard a familiar voice call his human name. Turning in the direction of the voice, he turned to see Cassie walking up to him with a towel around her neck. Her tan skin shimmered with sweat from her workout.

"Glad you found the place!" She said and stood by his side.

Cassie turned to the two women at the desk, "Nevaeh, Tori, this is my friend I was telling you about."

"Oh! The one looking for a job, right?" Nevaeh said now getting to her feet.

Beel blinked for a few seconds and looked down at the woman to his right. She nodded and nudged his side. He thought he was just coming to ask about a membership. The idea of asking about a job never occurred to him, but it wasn't a bad one. In fact, a gym might have been the best possible job he could think of.

"Uh, yeah." He agreed.

"Great! Normally we'd do an interview first but Cassie gave you such a glowing recommendation we're gonna skip it. Just give me a couple of minutes here to get the paperwork." Nevaeh said, excusing herself to the office.

Cassie congratulated the tall man with a pat on his shoulder. He thanked her for everything she had done for him and Belphie since they came to the village. Even though his twin was pretty dead set on leaving as soon as possible, Beel didn't understand why. The village was small enough for the two of them to live a quiet, inconspicuous life. The people were friendly and help was always just around the corner if they needed it. Belphie always complained about how horrible the humans were, but there had been no evidence to back up his claims. Beel didn't want to leave. He liked Twin Hills, he liked the room they stayed in, he loved the food and he was beginning to form friendships with Cassie, Melody, John, and Martha. He felt like he belonged here but Belphie didn't, and Beel didn't want to make his brother upset, nor did he want them to part.

The red-haired woman pulled the towel from around her neck and dropped it into a bin near the desk. She fiddled with a strap on her arm containing her phone and pulled out two small earbuds from a side pocket. With a polite goodbye to Tori at the desk and a reminder to Beel about dinner, she popped the earbuds into her ears and briskly left the building, jogging off down the street. Beel shuffled his feet awkwardly and glanced at the woman wearing a white polo with the company logo printed on it. She leaned over the desk and smirked at him.

"So, you're dating Melody, right?" She inquired.

Beel felt his face turn red and he shook his head quickly, denying her question. Over the last couple of days, a lot of people around the village asked him that very same question. Some of them even went to his brother about it, resulting in the smaller twin interrogating him about it. Beel, of course, had no idea how or why this rumor started. He didn't care so much what people thought about him, but he didn't want Melody to get sucked into it too. Beel promised his twin the friendship between him and the brunette was just that, a friendship. He didn't put much thought into women or relationships. His sole focus right now was doing the work Martha and John assigned to him. Besides, if he had feelings for someone he'd be the first to know about it, right?

Tori gave him a confused look but didn't get to ask him more about it because Nevaeh returned from the office. She handed some papers to Beel and told him he could take them home to fill out and bring them back later. Once he did so, she'd get him a work shirt and start scheduling him some training shifts. There was a lot of information being told to him at that moment and he was beginning to feel a little lost.

"Be sure to read the handbook I gave you and bring us a direct deposit form so we can actually pay you for the work you do." She added with a laugh.

"Right. Thanks." He replied.

Beel didn't want to admit he was confused with the entire process. He figured he'd go home and ask Martha or John what to do, or maybe even Cassie since he recently saw her. That might have been a better choice. The couple he worked for were really nice and all, but he didn't like the idea of asking them to help him with a new job. They might be offended he didn't tell them he was looking for one. He looked down at the papers in his hands and decided Cassie was his best bet. Her place was on the way to the B&B anyway.

The man happily walked back the way he came under the warm Autumn sun. He started thinking about dinner and wondered if Cassie had told Melody that he and Belphie were invited and what they were going to have. Beel hadn't really had Mel's cooking yet, though he did enjoy the one thing she made and gave to him the other day. He enjoyed the lemon bars so much, he accidentally ate all of them. When he apologized to Belphie, his twin muttered "I don't care" and promptly went to bed.

After a few minutes of pondering while walking down the road, Beel soon found himself standing in front of the girls' house. A sudden wave of nervousness hit him. What if Cassie refused to help him? She didn't seem like the type to turn someone away, but he couldn't be sure. Maybe it was better if he just went and asked Martha instead. The sound of footsteps approaching drew him out of his thoughts. He turned to find Melody walking up the sidewalk. She was looking down, digging through her purse in search of her keys. Today she was clad in a pale blue blouse and a pair of white jeans. Her hair was pulled up into a bun on the back of her head except for her side-swept bangs that had fallen into her eyes. As she approached, Beel decided that since Mel was here he could ask for her help with the paperwork.

"Hey, Melody." He said, needing to get her attention before she ran into him.

The brunette stopped and looked up at him in surprise. Beel looked her over, noting there was something different about her today, but he couldn't place his finger on what.

"Good afternoon, Nathaniel," She said cheerfully, returning her attention to her purse, "is there a reason why you're standing outside of my house?"

Beel looked down at the papers in his hands and replied, "I got a new job and I was wondering if you'd help me fill these out."

Melody fished her keys out and turned her gaze to the papers he was holding up. She took a few steps closer and held out her hand for them. He passed them to her and silently watched her flip through them. When she was done she looked up at him with a smile. Her blue eyes sparkled in the afternoon sun, making the stormy blue color look lighter in color than usual. She agreed to help, handing the papers back, and told him to come inside. 

Beel followed her up to the veranda to her front door. Melody pulled open the storm door and held it open with her side as she stuck her key into the lock of the front door. Out of instinct, he stepped up and took the storm door in hand, opening wider. Mel glanced up at him, feeling the weight off of her, and smiled softly. Such a small gesture and yet Tori's words came back to him then.  _ "So, you're dating Melody, right?". _ He followed the small woman into the house and copied her in slipping off his shoes. It didn't make sense as to why he suddenly thought about Tori and what she said. Was it just because he was with Melody? All he did was hold a door for her. He sighed quietly to himself. Being a human was too confusing. Things were much simpler as a demon where he just thought about hanging out with his brothers and food all day.

"Would you like something to drink?" Mel asked, opening the fridge to inspect the options. "We have soda, water, coffee, tea, I think there's a beer in the back."

Beel hadn't even realized he followed her all of the way into the kitchen. He was so lost in his confusion he was basically on autopilot. He placed the papers on their counter bar and sat on the stool closest to the end.

"Just a soda is fine, thank you." He replied.

Melody took two blue cans out of the fridge and placed them on the counter, one in front of him and one in front of herself. She cracked open the tab of her drink with a pop. The carbonated bubbles jumped out of the top around the rim just before she brought it to her pink lips and took a sip. She looked down at the forms on the counter and the black cat-eye frame glasses slid down the bridge of her nose a few millimeters. That was what was different. Beel didn't notice until now, but every other time he saw her, she wasn't wearing them. He reached out toward her, causing her to lift her head and look up at him. The ginger lightly touched the frame of her glasses.

"Are these new?" He asked.

Melody's cheeks flushed a little bit at his movements. She shook her head when he pulled his hand away.

"No, I'm just wearing them until my order of contacts arrive." She replied.

"They're cute," Beel admitted and picked up his own can of soda.

He was too busy opening the drink to notice the blush on her face deepen. She mumbled a thank you while he took a long sip of the refreshing beverage. When he pulled the can away from his mouth he noticed the way she was twisting her fingers nervously. He wondered for a moment if he made her uncomfortable with what he said. Unsure of what to do, he slid the forms he needed to fill out closer to himself and looked down at the neat boxes. Some of the information seemed pretty easy such as his birthday and name but he didn't know what a social security number was or how he'd get one. While he was staring at the form, Melody opened a drawer in front of her, pulled out a pen, and placed it on the paper in front of him.

"Do what you can and I'll help if you have any questions." She said with a smile, seemingly back to herself again.

Beel thanked her and set to work, filling out the boxes he did understand. When it came to the social security number, he asked for Mel's assistance. She explained what it was which reminded him of the cards in his wallet. He pulled the wallet out of the pocket of his shorts and opened it up, taking out the one card that wasn't his identification. Mel spotted the card and told him that was what he needed. She helped him with the address and number portion, having him put down the ones for the B&B.

Once all the forms were filled out, Beel asked about the direct deposit form Nevaeh mentioned. The brunette told him he simply had to go to the bank to request one and when he gets paid, all of the money would be put into his bank account automatically. Beel didn't have a bank account. He recalled Belphie opening one when he started working at the grocery store, but he never got one for himself. He felt a little ashamed for not having one prepared already. When he admitted it to Melody, she glanced at her watch and told him she'd continue to help him. According to her, opening an account was easy but they needed to leave immediately, the bank would be closing soon.

Beel couldn't believe how kind Mel was being. Not only did she take the time to explain everything to him, but she was even going out of her way to show him where the bank was. Even though he asked a lot of questions, not once did she seem annoyed by him. She answered every question in a clear and concise manner. He decided because she spent so much of her time helping him and explaining things, that when he got his first paycheck he'd do something nice for her.

The bank was only two doors down from the girls' house and since Beel was heading in the same direction to return the paperwork to Nevaeh at the gym, he chose to walk the few yards with Mel back to her home. As they walked silently, the brunette took her phone out of her purse for the first time since she found him in front of her home.

"Oh, Cassie texted me. You guys are coming to dinner tonight? And I'm cooking?" She questioned, sounding slightly exasperated.

"Is that alright?" Beel asked, stopping in front of the path that led to her front door.

"It's fine, I just prefer a little more warning. Is there, um, anything you'd prefer to have for dinner?"

The man's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Cheeseburgers! They're my favorite."

Melody thought for a moment before agreeing. She mentioned since summer was on its way out, firing up the grill for some good old fashioned cheeseburgers wasn't a bad idea. Beel beamed at the idea. Not only was he going to be treated to his favorite meal, but Mel was going to be the one making them. Today felt like a dream to him. So many good things were happening all at once.

The pair parted shortly thereafter. Melody returned to her home to figure out dinner and Beel made his way down to the gym. Nevaeh was surprised to see the man back so quickly and praised him for it. She gave him two polo shirts in his size for his work uniform and explained the only rules for appropriate bottoms were that if he chose to wear shorts, that they weren't too short. The manager even went on to explain she had plans to train him as a personal trainer. Beel had never trained anyone before, but he did have experience working with trainers in Devildom. Nevaeh told him to look over the code of conduct book and that she'd call him to tell him when his first shift was going to be.

On the way home, Beel decided to stop at the grocery store. His twin was working until six and he figured he should mention they'd be having dinner with the girls. The automatic doors opened with a whoosh, granting the man access to the building. Belphie was hired on as a stock person, so he could be anywhere inside. Beel glanced around the produce section, being able to see over the low shelves holding all of the fruit with ease. When he didn't see the familiar navy and silver hair of his twin, he rounded the corner into the bread section. There, he came upon Melody once again. She was standing in front of a near-empty shelf, looking at the hamburger buns that were placed there. The man moved toward her and watched as she reached as high as she could. Even while standing on her tiptoes and stretching her arm as high as it could go, she still wasn't able to get a hold of a single package. Beel stepped up behind her and grabbed the hamburger buns. Mel turned around and looked up at him. He didn't realize how close he was to her until then. His face warmed and he took a step back, holding the package out to her with one hand, and held the shirts he received for work against his chest.

"Thanks, Nathaniel. Could you grab another one?" Mel said, her voice wavering with her slight embarrassment.

"Sure," Beel replied, grabbing a second package and handing it over.

Glancing into the shopping cart she was using, he spotted lettuce, tomatoes, and a few other vegetables she had already picked up sitting inside. He smiled and felt a strange warmth growing inside his chest. Something about Melody making him his favorite meal just made him feel so happy and excited.

Beel joined her in her errand just in case she needed him to reach something on a high shelf again. She even offered to have him put his work shirts into the cart so he didn’t need to carry them throughout the store. Since he was there for his brother, he would be able to look out for him as the pair shopped. As they walked, he overheard a few people whispering to each other about them. He glanced around nervously then turned his attention to the woman next to him. She seemed unbothered by all the rumors floating around them. There was a chance no one had brought it up to her, but with the number of times someone said something to him, Beel thought that might be unlikely. He made a face, trying to figure her out. All he wanted to know was what she thought about it. Thankfully, his question was answered when a tall, curvy woman approached them, shaking her hips as she walked. The strange woman stopped in front of the pair and placed a well-manicured hand on her hip.

"I didn't expect to see you two here. I guess all those rumors I've been hearing are true." The woman said, looking between him and Melody.

Melody stiffened at the sound of the other woman's voice. It was very clear by her reaction that she didn't think much of the other. The brunette rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You've heard wrong. Nathaniel and I are just friends." Melody replied.

Beel dropped his head and wrung his hands. He didn't know why but hearing Melody say that was causing a strange ache in his chest. Was he disappointed she only thought of him as a friend? "Oh, well, in that case, let me introduce myself, Britta Johnson, but you can call me Baby." The woman tittered at Mel's reply and ran her fingers through her auburn bob.

Her hand continued to move south over her very prominent chest, she didn't seem too keen on covering up. She stuck that very same hand out and stepped closer to Beel, placing it on his forearm. She stroked his arm from wrist to elbow a few times. Her dark brown eyes lit up with an intense gaze, Beel was all too familiar with. He had seen it multiple times in the eyes of the succubus that hung around with Asmo.

"Why don't you come join me for dinner sometime?" Britta purred.

Before Beel could reply, Melody stepped in front of him and peeled Britta's hand off of his arm with two fingers as if what she was touching was revolting. The man couldn't see the look on Mel's face but he could sense an intensely annoyed aura emanating from her.

"Why don't you go home and have dinner with your husband, Britta?" Melody mused.

Her voice was as sweet as honey yet dripped with a dangerous venom Beel never expected from the small brunette. Even though the strange throb in his chest from being called just a friend was still present, it felt nice to have her put herself between him and Britta. It was a little amusing to see Melody, this short, petite woman defending him. The top of her head reached his collarbones and her waist was so small Beel could probably fit his hands at least halfway around her. As much as he was tempted to try it, he refrained. It wouldn't be appropriate to touch her without her permission. Though he did, sort of, get a sense of how small she was when he pulled her out of the pool.

Britta appeared unfazed by the mention of her husband. She smirked at Mel, standing at least a head taller than the brunette. With a click of her tongue, Britta shook her head.

"I didn't peg you to be possessive over your  _ friends,  _ Melody." She snickered.

"The word you're looking for is  _ protective _ , Britta," Melody replied.

Britta looked between Mel and Beel for a moment and chuckled a little bit. She waved her hand dismissively and took a few steps forward as if she was going to pass by them. She stopped and made eye contact with the man.

"My offer still stands. Come see anytime, good looking." She said with a wink and walked away.

Once Britta was out of view, Melody sighed and relaxed her shoulders. In just a few minutes, she seemed back to normal, pushing the grocery cart along the rest of the aisle, looking at all of the items on the shelves. After a little bit, she turned to look at Beel walking next to her. Since the air had cleared and she was feeling a little calmer, she chose to explain everything to him.

"People talk in this town. It's what they do. I don't pay much attention to rumors and the like. If people come to me about something I'm supposedly involved with, I set the record straight and go on with my day. There's no point in getting upset and the rumors are never done maliciously, so I don't care." She started, stopping her cart near the meats.

Beel nodded and watched her examine the different packages of hamburger. He heard her softly mumbling about fat content and Cassie's diet, choosing to pick up the extra lean option and placing it in the cart.

He liked her view on the rumors going around and he had heard things about other people in town. Cassie stopped by almost every day to gossip with Martha about the townsfolk. Not just Cassie, but other people too. John even participated with his friends every evening down in the basement of the B&B during the commercial breaks of the sports they were watching. Beel had been invited to join and he often did. He found human sports interesting to watch and found some of them were similar to ones he played in Devildom. That was the first place someone questioned his relationship with Melody. He denied it then and didn't think much of it when the men talked about the brunette and the number of dates her roommate set her up on. Now that he thought back on it, Beel felt oddly uncomfortable with the idea of Mel going out with men. He was drawn back to the present by the sound of Mel's voice, continuing what she was saying.

"Now about Britta. I hope I'm not overstepping when I say this, but I wouldn't recommend getting involved with her. Of course, you're an adult and free to make your own choices, but I can tell you it wouldn't end well."

Beel looked at her in surprise. He didn't think he had given Melody any reason to think he would take Britta up on her offer. Whatever she was thinking, it was in stark contrast to her behavior from before when she claimed she was protecting him. The man had no interest in the other woman. He didn't know her at all and if he were to be honest, he was a little intimidated by how strong she came off. Any interest she had in him was strictly physical and Beel just wasn't interested in that sort of relationship. Not now. Not ever. That was Asmo's thing. However, that didn't mean he didn't fool around with a succubus or two back in Devildom. Not with his older brother throwing sex parties a few times a month. But this wasn't Devildom, this was the human realm. The customs were different here and he was still adjusting to things. Beel put on his brightest smile to ease the woman's worries.

"That's okay, I'm not interested in married women." He replied.

Marriage was one of those customs he had to learn about. He knew a little about it from his Human Studies classes at RAD but they never touched on the reasons why. In Devildom, it was rare for demons to practice monogamy, let alone commit themselves to only one partner for an extended period of time. Beel only said he wasn't interested in married women because he knew that was the appropriate thing to say in that situation. Mel seemed content with his reply and gave him a shy smile of her own.

The pair passed through the grocery store in comfortable silence as Melody picked out more of the ingredients she required to prepare dinner. When they turned the final corner into the canned goods section, Beel spotted his twin among the shelves, grumbling quietly to himself. As Beel and Melody moved closer, he glanced up at the couple. A dark look clouded his eyes as he looked at them.

“What are you doing here with her?” Belphie asked, nodded his head at Mel.

“Actually, I came here to talk to you and I happened to run into Mel,” Beel replied, feeling a little embarrassed at his brother’s reaction.

The smaller twin crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the cart he was using to stock the shelves. Melody glanced between the two brothers and placed her hand lightly on Beel’s bicep.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” She said, giving the man a little squeeze.

Beel instinctively placed his hand on top of hers just as her fingers slipped away. He watched her walk down the rest of the aisle then turn out of sight. His twin’s gaze never left him. When he turned to return to the conversation with his brother, the smaller man sighed angrily. Beel looked down at his feet. Since the two of them came to the human realm, their connection seemed to have disappeared along with their demon abilities. He could no longer tell how his brother was feeling. That made him unhappy. For as long as he could remember, they always had that empathetic connection. It was why they were always so close. Without that, he felt like his brother was slipping away from him. That’s why he was so desperate to do everything his twin asked of him, he didn’t want to lose Belphie.

“You two seem to have gotten close.” The navy haired man commented, turning back to the cart.

“We’re just friends.” Beel reminded him.

He didn’t want Belphie to read too much into things that weren’t there. Melody had said it herself just a few minutes ago. To prove that he meant what he said, he told his twin the experience with Britta. Belphie made a disgusted face and revealed that the curvy woman had also made the same offer to him the other day.

“Disgusting, hag.” He mumbled and shuddered. “This is why we need to get out of this town. Humans are vile.”

“Oh! That reminds me, I came to tell you I got a job!” Beel exclaimed excitedly.

Belphie’s sour mood seemed to clear at those words and he congratulated his twin. Unfortunately, before Beel had the chance to relay everything about the new job and how he acquired it, Belphie’s boss came storming down the aisle. He was probably a little older than them and looked incredibly mad as he walked up to them. Beel backed away and told his brother that they were going to have dinner at the girls’ house that night. Before Belphie could reply, his boss was upon him.

“Noah! You’re still stocking the cans! Our hamburger buns are completely out!” He scolded.

Beel quickly walked away, feeling guilty that he overheard his twin was getting in trouble at work. He couldn’t help but feel partially responsible for that. Coming in to talk to him while he was at work was a distraction that Belphie couldn’t afford. The smaller man already complained about how unhappy he was with his job the other night.

Turning the corner to head out of the store, Beel suddenly remembered his new shirts were still in Melody’s cart and hurried off to find her. He found her just past the checkout with her groceries bagged in reusable shopping bags, neatly arranged in the cart. Briskly walking through one of the closed lanes, he quickly joined the woman at her side. Melody turned and gave him a smile, pushing the cart back to the front of the store. She stopped at the cart return and went to pull out both of her bags when Beel reached in with one hand and took them.

"I'll carry these. It's the least I could since you helped me so much today." He said with a smile.

Melody attempted to refuse his assistance, claiming the store was only a short walk from her home and she could handle carrying the two bags home. He chuckled at the way she huffed and crossed her arms. It was hard to feel threatened by a woman who was well over a foot shorter than he was. Beel chuckled at her reaction and ruffled her hair playfully with his free hand. She swatted his hand away and smoothed down her hair. He picked the shirts out of the cart and Melody pushed the cart in with the others.

On the way back to the house, the pair didn't speak much. That was one thing Beel liked about Mel. He often found himself confused by a lot of the things people talked about or fell behind if the conversation went by too fast. He always tried to ask Belphie what certain things meant, but even his twin didn't know everything. Mel wasn't like Cassie or Martha. She was quiet and didn't ask him too many personal questions. He liked how comfortable she seemed around him.

When the pair returned to the home, they discovered Cassie sitting on the front steps, typing away on her phone. She looked up at them as they approached.

"Finally." She sighed, getting to her feet, "you locked the door again. Hey, Nate."

"I almost always lock the door out of habit," Mel replied, pulling her keys from her purse.

Beel waved a greeting at Cassie, not wanting to interrupt the conversation she was having with Mel. He listened as they entered the house. The redhead was scolding the other for locking the door, knowing she didn't have her keys. Melody attempted to point out that she was from a city with a crime rate and locking the door was just her norm. He placed the groceries on the kitchen counter for them. Mel immediately began pulling the items out and laying them on the counter to begin cooking. Beel thought he might have had time to go home before dinner, but a small part of him wanted to stay. He didn't want to overstay his welcome, but before he could say his goodbyes and escape, Cassie stepped behind him and pushed him over to the bar seats.

"Sit! Relax!" She commanded.

"I was gonna head home and wait for Belphie. He's gonna be off work soon." Beel said, taking a seat on the stool he sat on earlier that day.

"I'll jump into a quick shower then go get him. You just hang out with Mel, okay?" She said with a wink.

Beel made a puzzled face. He didn't know why she would wink at that. Cassie slipped out of the kitchen before either of them could protest her leaving, though it seemed Mel had no issues with it. She busied herself filling a large pot of water.

Over the course of her prepping their meal, Beel's eyes barely left the small brunette. He was transfixed on watching her put together a creamy macaroni salad and seasoning the beef before turning them into patties. The longer he watched the hungrier he got. He didn't even notice Cassie returned with his twin or her snapping selfies. He didn't hear his brother and the redhead arguing over a picture she forced him to take with her. All he cared about was the small woman working diligently to make him his favorite meal. At one point, she asked Cassie to prep the grill in the backyard and soon the entire party moved outside.

The smell of charcoal and cooking meat filled the air. The rocks in the grill sizzled every time grease from the burgers dripped down onto them and evaporated. For a while, Beel helped bring out the plates to set the patio table. Melody had gone so far as to wash and slice tomatoes, lettuce, and onions, giving everyone anything they'd require for their burger. There was a jar of sliced pickles and a carry tray of condiments next to the umbrella pole in the center of the table. During this time, Belphie dozed in one of the four chairs with his head in his arms, leaning into the table.

For a time, Beel tried to converse with Cassie, but she kept talking about people he hadn't met and the enticing smell of the hamburgers kept drawing his attention away. Occasionally, he'd glance over his shoulder to the petite woman standing at the grill. He'd smile every time her glasses slipped down the bridge of her nose and every time she'd correct them by grasping the arm of them and slide them back up. His stomach rumbled as he watched her lay the cheese slices over the burgers; a telltale sign his meal was almost ready.

When Melody came over with the plate, it took everything in his power not to snatch it away from her. While he may not be a demon anymore and his unending hunger gone, his love of food persisted.

Cassie prodded the younger twin in the shoulder to wake him from his slumber. When his eyes fluttered open, he turned in the direction the feeling was coming from. It took a second for his sleepy haze to clear but when it did, a dark glare overtook his features.

"Who gave you permission to touch me?" He growled.

"Someone had to wake you for dinner cause it doesn't look like Nate was gonna do it." She retorted.

Beel looked up at the mention of his human name. His double patty burger he had meticulously built was already halfway in his mouth. He could just taste the perfectly cooked meat with the tip of his tongue when he froze.

"Ignore them." Came Melody's voice from his right. "Enjoy your meal and congratulations on your new job."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye and nodded, taking his first bite. The lettuce crunched as his teeth sunk through the soft bun. A trail of grease and tomato juice dribbled out of the corner of his mouth and down his chin but he didn't care.

"Mmm, so good." He hummed with a mouthful of food.

It was delicious. Almost good enough to rival the burgers he gets at Hell's Kitchen. Even the Macaroni salad was perfectly cooked. Lost in the perfectly seasoned meal, Beel paid no attention to the conversation at hand. The food held all of his attention and he devoured each and every delicious bite, savoring the taste with a lick of his lips.

After the meal, with a full stomach, the ginger sat back and rested his hands on his abdomen. This feeling was something he would never get used to. He knew from what he experienced the last couple of weeks living as a human, that he'd be satisfied for quite some time. Belphie warned him to be careful not to overeat. Without his ridiculously high, demonic metabolism digesting food as fast as he could eat, there was a good chance he'd gain weight. Beel didn't want his body to change. He liked the way he looked. He worked hard on it back in Devildom. Since becoming human, he had noticed some small differences. 

He looked up at the sky, now bathed in hues of orange and red. It was getting late and he knew Belphie and Mel both had work the next day. He glanced around the table and found his twin and Cassie locked in yet another argument. This was becoming the norm for them. It didn't seem like Beel needed to interfere just yet. Melody was nowhere to be seen, but judging by the number of dishes that had been cleared away, she must've been cleaning up. Not wanting to leave all of the work to her, he pushed his chair back and got to his feet. He picked up a couple of the plates, still containing some food, and entered the house.

Melody was standing at the kitchen counter, moving all of the sliced vegetables onto one plate. She looked up at him as he set the plates he carried onto the bar in front of her.

"You didn't need to help, Nathaniel. You're a guest after all." She said, scanning the plates.

There were just enough leftovers for one last burger. As much as Beel hated leaving any food behind, he knew he was far too full to have anymore. He watched as Melody pulled out a Tupperware container, took a bun, laid the cheeseburger on it. She built the perfect burger and put it inside of the container and snapped the lid on. Then she took the dirty plates and carefully slid them into the sink full of soapy water.

"You can take that burger home with you. I am not one to waste food and I'm sure you'll appreciate it more than us."

"Wow, thanks, Mel!" He replied with a smile.

Although Melody told him he didn't need to help, he continued to assist by bringing in the last of the dishes. Belphie and Cassie quickly joined them inside. The younger twin was pretty adamant about returning home. Cassie attempted to persuade the brothers to stay for a little longer, but Belphie quickly shot her down.

"I don't want to spend another second with you. It's a wonder your jaw doesn't get sore with how it never stops moving." He growled.

Beel could see his twin's patience for Cassie was gone. He knew staying any longer wasn't safe. There was no telling what Belphie would do to the redhead if things got any worse, and Cassie's attitude certainly wasn't helping. Beel stepped between the two and draped his arms around each of their shoulders.

"Thanks for the offer, Cassie, but I still need to tell Martha and John about getting a job and I don't want to get back too late." He said.

"I already told Martha. She's really proud of you." Cassie replied, effectively ruining the only excuse Beel could come up with.

Melody sighed over the sink after she finished washing up. She picked up a hand towel hanging off of the stove and dried her hands. Crossing the floor, she leaned against the counter and looked over at the other three. Beel gave her a helpless look as Cassie continued to attempt to get them to stay a little longer.

"Cass, I'm pretty tired tonight and I still have some stuff for work I need to finish. We can hang out with the guys another time." Mel said.

"Ugh, fine," Cassie answered and threw herself down on the couch. "Don't be strangers."

Beel mouthed a quiet thank you to Mel for her assistance. She smiled and turned to return the dish towel to its proper place. Belphie immediately moved to the front door, ready to make his escape at any second. The ginger scooped up the Tupperware containing the leftover hamburger and followed after his brother. Before the twins could leave, however, Melody ran up to them with a bag in her arms.

"Wait a minute, Nathaniel. You forgot your work shirts." She said, holding the bag out to him.

"Ah, thanks, Mel!" Beel replied.

He opened up the bag and went to place the container in it when he spotted two envelopes sitting on top.

"I've put the shirt you lent me and an invitation to my birthday party in there. There's an invite for Martha and John as well if you're willing to deliver that for me."

"Sure thing! And, uh, thanks for everything you've done today. I'll make it up to you." Beel vowed.

Melody shook her head. The few strands of hair that had fallen from her bun through the course of the day, swayed around her face. She usually looked well put together but every now and then she'd look a little unkempt. Cute. That's how she was when her hair was a little messy and her glasses traveling down her small nose. She tucked the stray hairs behind her ear and offered him a smile.

"Consider us even." She said.

Beel didn't know what to say to that. He really wanted to do something special for her. In the ensuing silence, Belphie threw open the front door and then the storm door before plodding down the steps. Beel glanced over his shoulder at him then back to Mel.

“I should, uh…” he trailed off, gesturing with his thumb pointed in the direction his twin went.

“Of course, have a good night, Nathaniel,” Melody replied, holding onto the door.

Beel quickly slipped on his shoes and ran off to join his brother. On the walk home, Belphie didn’t say anything. He seemed angry at something. Beel thought it might have been from how Cassie was pestering him all night, but the longer they walked, the more he became concerned. Usually, the smaller twin had no qualms about complaining about Cassie or anything one else in the city. It wasn’t like him to keep whatever was bothering him to himself. Unless of course, the thing that was bothering him was his twin. When Beel got up the nerve to ask, Belphie quickly denied the accusation but said no more. The silence continued even as they entered the B&B, up the rickety stairs, and into their room. He said nothing when he prepared for bed nor when he laid down with the stuffed cow crammed under his head. Beel sat on the edge of his own bed, looking over at his brother for a time until he heard the soft sound of sleep coming from the smaller man. He picked out the tupperware from the bag of items and pried the lid off with a pop then took out the hamburger. As he ate in silence, he thought of Melody and all of the nice things she did for him today and what she said to him before he left. What did she mean by “consider us even”? Beel didn’t think he had done anything particularly special toward her to make her think she owed him anything.

He finished the burger, put the empty container back in the bag, and laid on his bed. As he stared at the ceiling, thinking of the small brunette, sleep overtook him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sending out a special Thank you to Tomo for helping me with the art and an Extra Special thank you to Ray on discord for asking how the other brothers were handling everything, resulting in the ensuing comic about Mammon.
> 
> If you'd like to join my personal discord here's the link:
> 
> https://discord.gg/5AdQ9bU
> 
> Because of the content I write (and discuss) the server is 18+


	8. In Fairview, They Call it “The S’Mall”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I updated the warnings on this fic because there is a small section wherein Belphie remembers what he has done and I don't want to unintentionally trigger someone. To me, it's not overly graphic but I don't want to risk upsetting one of you wonderful readers. You can skip the paragraph in question if you wish. Just stop reading at "The red sauce dripping..." and pick it back up at "Mammon was devastated."

  


It was finally Friday, and a day off for Belphie. It wasn’t going to be like his usual days off wherein he’d sleep for most of the day while his twin helped out around the B&B. Today, Martha had given them some money for Melody’s birthday party tomorrow and asked them to pick something up for her as well. She had ordered a limited edition novel of one of Mel’s favorite books and since Beel wanted to get a gift for the brunette, Martha decided it would be best to just have them go. John drove the boys into Fairview in his truck. Beel sat in the front seat, while Belphie was crammed into the small space behind them. It wasn’t overly comfortable but Fairview was only around a half-hour east of Twin Hills and the small man did manage to roll himself onto his side and fall asleep on the thin bench in the back.

He was excited because, for the first time since arriving in the human world, he was going to be able to go out for a little while with his brother. Since arriving in the village, the two didn’t get much time to hang out. John and Martha kept them both pretty busy, or the redhead woman Cassie would stop by just to annoy everyone in a ten-foot radius. By nightfall, Belphie was too tired to even think, let alone spend time with Beel so he often went to bed. He thought by getting a job, he’d have a little more time but that wasn’t the case. His job was physically exhausting, his boss was mentally exhausting and the stupid customers who were clearly blind and couldn’t see the damn items they wanted were right in front of them were emotionally exhausting and since Beel still worked at the B&B, Belphie didn’t even get to see him on his days off. He hated this, but he knew that in the end, it would be worth it. Just a little while to make enough money to get the hell out of this place and find somewhere else to go. The where didn’t matter. All that mattered was that he had his twin by his side until the end of this torture.

But a new problem was beginning to arise. Melody. That vixen. No matter what anyone tried to tell him, he wouldn’t believe she wasn’t trying to steal his brother away. The compromising photo of Beel and the woman in the pool nearly gave him a heart attack when a random dumbass at work showed it to him. Even though Beel played it off as an incident, Belphie knew better. That bitch fell into the pool on purpose. Damsels in distress always get their hero at the end of the fairy tales. Well, if she thought that was going to work with Beel, she had another thing coming. The pool incident wasn’t the only thing that had him worried. When he saw them together at the grocery store, they seemed far too familiar for two people who barely knew one another. That and the way she touched his arm before she walked away was a huge red flag. If Belphie had it his way, he would have broken her fingers right then and there. He didn’t, of course, for Beel’s sake. Instead, he questioned his twin about it. Beel insisted they were just friends and at first, Belphie let it go for a little while, but the way his brother stared at her the entire time she made dinner, he felt like something was off. Yes, she was making Beel’s favorite meal, but Beel wasn’t watching the food. He was watching her. Her. Ugh, this situation is all fucked up. Belphie needed to talk to Beel. He needed to warn him. He needed to drill it into the ginger’s thick skull not to get involved with any human. As long as he could keep his twin safe from the clutches of evil humans who wanted him for themselves, everything might be alright.

John dropped the twins off at the front door of a small shopping mall in Fairview. He told them he would pick them up in about two hours. That should give them more than enough time to pick up whatever they needed and to grab some lunch. Belphie didn’t have a lot of money from his job, but he did get paid today. Combining that with the little bit they saved from working at the B&B, they should have enough to get cellphones for them. It would make the smaller twin a lot more comfortable if he could reach his brother whenever they were apart. 

Beel appeared to be in a good mood today. A wide smile was set on his features as the pair walked through the quiet mall. It was the middle of the morning and most people were still at school or at work during this time. 

The entire interior of the building was tinged yellow by the overhead fluorescent lights. Faint instrumental music could occasionally be heard over the squeak of their shoes on the linoleum flooring and the hum of the few people casually chatting with one another. Most of the people the twins passed were older folk, walking up and down the corridors of the mall to get their steps in. Almost all of them gawked at the sheer size of the older twin, who smiled and greeted them politely in return. Belphie could smell french fries wafting from the direction of the food court.

Their first order of business, Belphie decided, was to acquire phones. He figured that would take the longest since they needed to sign up for new contracts. Cassie had already given him a pretty vague idea of what to expect, not that he needed her to tell him anything. He was smart enough to figure out how things worked on his own, and he figured human phones were similar enough to D.D.Ds by what he had begrudgingly seen on the redhead’s a few times.

Beel didn’t mention much, aside from how excited he was to start his new job on Monday. His boss, Nevaeh or something, called the B&B yesterday to give him a rundown of what to expect on his first day. The ginger was told that because he was an employee, he didn’t need a membership to use the gym, but he could only use the equipment when he wasn’t on duty. She reminded him about the dress code before hanging up. Belphie looked over the uniform information with his twin and the two of them decided he should pick up some track pants for work. That was when Martha overheard and insisted the boys go shopping and she would provide the cost for Beel’s uniform as a congratulation.

Belphie pulled his twin over to the first kiosk he could see that provided phones. He did the entirety of the conversation with the salesperson, setting up a plan for both him and his brother. Beel walked about the stall, looking at all of the phones, and grimaced at the cost of them. He moved to his twin’s side and whispered in his ear.

“Belphie, we don’t have a lot of money. Can we even afford these?” He asked.

The person working the desk looked up and smiled, overhearing what Beel had said. “Our company offers no down payment on a majority of the phones. Instead, a small percentage of the cost of the phone will be added to your monthly bill. Depending on the model you chose, it could take two or three years to pay the phones off completely, but you can pay additional money to it to pay it off faster if you wish.”

The employee went on to explain the monthly payment perk that came with choosing their company as a cell phone provider. Belphie listened intently. He had been warned ahead of time that there weren’t a lot of providers in the area since they were out in the country. Armed with this information, he decided this was his best option. Normally, he’d shop around a little bit more, but he didn’t want to spend all day trying to find the right fit for them. That would seriously cut into the amount of time they had and he really needed to talk to his brother privately.

The smaller twin found out he could have both of them on the same plan. They would have shared minutes but would be able to call each other for free, they had unlimited texting and picture messaging and a little bit of shared data. Belphie didn’t understand all of what he was being told, but he assumed he’d be able to figure it out in time.

With the new phones already set up, the twins set off for their second item on the list. New pants for Beel. Wandering down the tiled floors, Belphie noticed a majority of the stores there were geared to women based on the way the mannequins looked in the display windows. Only humans would try to designate specific clothing for different genders. Things weren’t like that in Devildom. Maybe it was a little different because demons didn’t technically have genders. While most of the demons had sexual organs that resembled similar ones to human reproductive organs, to them it didn’t mean anything. Succubus demons were the only ones that possessed something that humans would consider a vagina, though they didn’t have all of the other organs that humans had such as a uterus because demons didn’t breed. Other demons had phallic-like organs, others, like Asmo, were equipped with both, others had neither, and some had something entirely different. Separating the demons into different genders based on their sexual organs would be a stupid idea. The way things were, demons saw themselves as just that. A demon. They wore what they wanted, spoke how they wanted, and fucked who they wanted. Humans always had to make things stupid and complicated. Yes, God might have created man in his image and a female counterpart for breeding purposes, but it was humans that decided what they should and shouldn’t wear and behave.

While lost in his thoughts about the stupidity of humanity, Belphie aimlessly followed his brother into a store that sold sports goods. In almost no time at all, the friendly ginger was chatting up one of the employees to ask about what he needed. The man directed him to the men’s section (garnering an eye roll from the smaller twin for separating clothes by gender again) in the back of the store. Due to Beel’s size, the store didn’t have many options for him. There were a few pants that suited him that would work for his uniform, but being limited seemed a little disheartening. Belphie patted his brother on the shoulder then leaned against him. All of this walking around was already wearing him out. The larger twin bought the only three pairs of pants they had in his size and moved onto the thing they needed to pick up.

Beel looked from store to store thinking quietly to himself.

“Belphie, what kind of gift do you think Mel would like?” He asked after some time.

Belphie shuddered at his question. He didn’t like how his twin’s tone of voice was so… happy when he spoke of the small woman. Beel might not have noticed it yet, but there was something going on with her that Belphie didn’t like. He hoped for his brother’s sake it was just a passing feeling and soon he’d be back to his normal ways.

“You’re actually going to get her something?” He scoffed.

“It’s her birthday, I have to,” Beel replied like it was nothing.

Belphie shook his head, his navy and silver-streaked locks shook around his face, “you don’t have to buy her anything.”

“Martha gave us some money to get her something and besides, I want to. Mel’s been really nice to me and she’s helped me a lot. The least we can do is get her something for her birthday. Without her, I might not have gotten the job.”

Belphie grumbled some more. Beel did have a point, but he was sure he could have found someone else to help. Hell, even Belphie could have helped his brother with his work. He did get a job and a bank account recently. He didn’t have to go to the woman for her help. That bothered him. The fact that Beel didn’t immediately think of him and come to him first.

Belphie shoved his hands in his pockets and stared down at the floor. He was going to wait until the two of them were having lunch to talk, but now it felt far more urgent.

“Beel,” He said quietly, getting his brother’s attention, “how do you feel about her?”

“Who?” Beel replied.

Belphie pressed his lips together, watching his brother head into a store and start looking at all the glittery objects on a display stand. The smaller man didn’t want to say her name. It felt foreign and dirty. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and he opened and closed his mouth a few times before he managed to spit out her name.

“Melody.” He said harshly.

Beel stopped looking at the display and turned to his twin. He blinked a few times as if he was trying to figure out what the other man meant by his question. The ginger made a thoughtful face before shrugging his shoulders and returning to the display.

“I don’t know. She’s nice to hang out with.” He replied after some time.

“I didn’t ask that. I asked how you  _ felt _ about her.” Belphie seethed.

He was getting annoyed. To him, it didn’t take much thought to decide how he felt about these humans because he hated them all. The only person he cared for was Beel, but Beel was different than he was. Beel was more open and friendly. He was far more likely to build connections or develop feelings for someone. They weren’t demons anymore. Demons and humans felt things differently. Though demons did find themselves attached to others, it wasn’t quite the same way with humans. Belphie needed to know for sure if he had to step in and remove this woman from his brother’s life, or not.

Beel turned away and started looking at a bunch of the accessories lining the walls of the shop. He fiddled with a few of the packages while his eyes held a faraway stare. He was obviously trying to sort out just what Belphie had meant.

“I don’t know.” He said again. “I don’t feel any different than normal.”

Belphie breathed a sigh of relief. He must’ve been reading into things too much again over the last week or so. Beel would know if he was starting to become attached to someone, right? A small smirk pulled at his lips as he followed his twin around the store.

Beel took a little while, inspecting everything the shop had to offer. He finally settled on a set of silver hair clips adorned with a red rose on the end. It was small and inexpensive, leading the smaller twin to believe Beel hadn’t given the gift much thought and only decided on the first thing he thought she might like. He fiddled with the clips in his hand nervously as he made his way to the register. The woman at the cash register made a joke about how the clips suited Beel well and the ginger shook his head, admitting they were for someone else.

“A child?” She asked, scanning the barcode on the back of the package.

“Uh, no, a friend.” Beel corrected.

Belphie cleared his throat and stepped forward, taking the place next to his brother. He could see Beel was beginning to second guess the gift he had selected. There was a good chance, he’d change his mind and decide to browse some more. Belphie didn’t want that to happen, he wanted this whole birthday gift shopping crap over with so he could enjoy a nice meal with his brother.

“She’s a teacher,” Belphie added.

“Oh! Well, this is perfect then!” The woman at the register exclaimed.

She told the two what the total was and Beel pulled out his wallet. He was just starting to get a grasp of how money in the human world worked, so it took him a little while to find the correct bill. Belphie wanted to help him, but it was better for the other man to figure out how to do things on his own. Belphie couldn’t be there for him all of the time. The small change still confused the taller twin so he usually stuck with using the cotton bills and collected whatever change he had left. Belphie was the one who paid down to the nearest cent, having figured out what everything was worth.

Soon the pair were off to collect the final item they needed to get, the gift Martha had gotten for Mel. Beel still seemed a little insecure about the gift he chose. Belphie could tell by the way his brother tightly grasped the plastic bag containing the item. He sighed, not exactly knowing what to do. Neither one of them really knew the woman well enough to pick something she’d for sure like. Martha didn’t offer much advice in that matter by saying “I’m sure she will like whatever you pick” and Belphie refused to allow his brother to ask the annoying red-haired woman her thoughts.

They picked up the specially ordered book from the bookstore located nearby and paid for it with the money Martha had given them. Beel expressed how bad he was starting to feel, as the amount of money left was very little. Belphie brushed off his twin’s concern. Martha clearly had an idea of how much everything was going to cost, so what did it matter if they came back with nothing left.

The twins’ final stop was a small food court in the center of the mall. They had about twenty-five minutes before John was going to pick them up which was more than enough time to get something to eat. Belphie scanned the few choices of fast food places and settled on a sushi kiosk. Beel looked like he was interested in all of the places that offer hamburgers and couldn’t decide on which one of the three to pick.

“Just close your eyes and point at one,” Belphie suggested, looking over the menu on the side of the kiosk.

“Good idea!” Beel exclaimed and did just that, wandering off to the place his finger landed on.

The smaller man made his selection of a sushi combo with a rice ball, paid for his food, then joined his brother at the burger joint. Beel once again wasn’t sure which item from the menu to choose, but instead of just randomly picking one, Belphie made the choice. He stepped up to the register and asked which meal was the largest one they offered. When the girl at the cash answered, that's what Belphie ordered. Beel expressed his gratitude to his younger brother and carried the little orange tray containing his food to a nearby table.

Beel crammed himself into the seat that was far too small for his size. Belphie contemplated where to sit for a moment. If he chose to take the chair to his brother's right, he would likely get in the way of Beel's elbows, and across from him wouldn't give Beel much room for his knees. Armed with this information, Belphie took the seat diagonal from his twin. He placed his small package of sushi onto the table and took a seat. After pulling his chopsticks out of the paper wrapper they came in, he pried them apart with a snap and looked up at Beel. His twin was busy tearing the corners off ketchup packs and squeezing the red sauce into a glob on the corner of the liner on his tray. His tongue was sticking out between his lips in concentration, making sure not a drop was wasted.

Once the twins were set up and ready to enjoy their meal, Beel ruined it by asking one simple question:

“Hey Belphie, what do you think of Cassie and Mel?”

Belphie visibly cringed at the question. Truth be told he didn’t think much of them at all or as little as he possibly could. He shrugged slightly, not really wanting to answer. Beel seemed a little fond of the two girls and had openly called them his friends time and time again. Belphie didn’t like the idea of his twin getting so close to these humans, but he also didn’t want to make Beel upset by refusing to let him be his own person. Belphie put up with the people in the village as much as he could for his brother’s sake.

The more Belphie refused to answer, the more his twin pressed him. “Ugh, fine okay. I don’t like them. Melody is far too comfortable around you and it makes me concerned she’s interested in you more than just a friend and Cassie is… well… the most insane and annoying creature in existence.”

Beel made a noise of confirmation and dropped his head, focusing on eating. Belphie sighed. Even if the ginger tried to keep it to himself, he was obviously bothered by what Belphie had said to him. What was he supposed to do though? Lie to his twin to protect him? Beel was pretty good at seeing through his lies, it was just easier to keep things to himself. 

Belphie sighed and put down the chopsticks he was using.

“Don’t… get too involved with them. That’s all I’m trying to say. You know I don’t want to be around here for too long and if you end up getting too close to one or both of them you might not want to leave and…” Belphie trailed off, looking down at the perfectly wrapped rolls sitting smooshed together on the little tray.

“I’ll go wherever you go, Belphie,” Beel said quietly.

The navy haired man looked up at the other and smiled, feeling more confident than he had earlier. Of course, Beel would come with him. Even if Beel happened to fall desperately in love with someone, he’d still give all that up for his twin. Belphie knew that, or at least, hoped that was true.

“Though I guess if you like them they’re not too bad. Cassie is really fun to torment.” Belphie added, clearing his plate.

The sushi was subpar compared to the stuff he was used to in Devildom. What was once his favorite thing to eat now seemed bland. Most human foods felt this way to him. In fact, everything felt this way. He almost felt like he was living in a world where all the joy and color had been sucked out of it.

Belphie sat back and watched his twin stuff a couple of fries dipped in ketchup into his mouth. The red sauce dripping off the end of the fries and splattering onto the tray below brought his mind back to the day that started this all. If he closed his eyes, he could still hear the sound of their screams and the hollow thud of the knife plunging into their chest. Back then, he didn’t hear Beel yelling at him to stop, he didn’t feel the arms of his twin wrapping themselves around his waist and hoisting him away. He was so focused on ending that creature’s life, all of his senses were dulled. Though he was caught and punished for his crime, he didn’t regret it. Not one bit. Diavolo was a fool for not seeing how his exchange student plan was a threat to all demons. Belphie still believed what he did was done to protect himself, protect Devildom, protect his brothers. Humans ripped his family apart once and he didn’t want it to happen again. He was proud of what he had done. He didn’t give a damn what happened to him. With the human who threatened everything now nothing but a lifeless, bloody body on the floor, he felt at peace. He would gladly give his life in order to save his family from having to suffer the same losses they dealt with before. It was a shame that few seemed to see it that way.

Mammon was devastated. As much as the greedy scum lord refused to admit it, he had developed a bond with the human and had sworn to protect them. Levi sheltered himself in his room, losing himself to his games and anime as an escape from the reality Belphie caused. Satan and Asmo, it seemed, were on Belphie’s side and stood up for him at the trial. No one knew that Beel, too, was also being accused as an accomplice. Every demon present was shocked when Diavolo called his name and brought him forth. Beel didn’t deserve this. He didn’t do anything wrong. He… he shouldn’t have been here with him. Belphie implored Lucifer and Diavolo to spare his twin, expressing that the ginger did nothing wrong to no avail. Diavolo waved him off and Lucifer avoided his gaze. Lucifer, the eldest and wisest brother, showed his true colors by siding with Diavolo that day. Belphie was never, ever, going to forgive him for that.

“Dammit!” Belphie growled, slamming his fist on the table and startling his twin.

“What’s wrong, Belphie?” Beel asked, putting down the soda he was taking a sip of.

Belphie shook his head. He couldn’t tell Beel what was going on inside of his mind. How could he look his brother in the eye and tell him everything? It was his fault they were stuck in this mess. Because of that, he had to keep Beel safe until this was all over. They’ve lived for millennia, what's sixty some odd years as humans compared to that? This was his true punishment, keeping Beel from becoming as corrupted and as cynical as he himself was. To keep that joyful smile and naive presence about him. Should anything, physical or otherwise, happen to his twin, Belphie would never forgive himself.

The navy haired man shook his head and planted a gentle smile on his lips, meeting his brother's worried gaze. He insisted it had nothing to do with him and not to worry about it. Beel nodded, taking his twin’s words at face value, and returned to finish his food.

After the meal was done, Belphie thought it was best to head back outside and wait for John. Beel graciously took both of their trays to the garbage and recycling station to clear them of the empty containers then he quickly joined up with his twin. Belphie glanced at the stores they passed as the larger man looked at all of the apps that came with his phone. Belphie hardly listened as Beel pointed them all out. Eventually, he stumbled upon the app for contacts and told the smaller one they needed to exchange numbers. Belphie agreed and pulled his new phone from his pocket and helped his twin add the number into the phone.

Beel was excitedly typing away while loudly exclaiming “You’re going to be the first person I message on this, isn’t that great?”

“Yeah.” Belphie smiled.

It was great. The phone in his hand vibrated and chimed, alerting him of the new text. He opened the message and the smile on his lips grew.  _ Thanks, Bell pie. You’re the best. _ The message read. He surmised “Bell pie” was just Beel misspelling his name, not knowing the phone had an auto-correct feature.

Belphie shoved the phone in his pocket and returned to looking around the mall. The store just before the exit doors was a small movie place. As they passed, a sign in the window caught his eye. The store was offering a two for one special on horror DVDs. He smirked as a wicked thought passed through his mind. He commanded his brother to wait for him there and went into the store. It didn’t take him too long to select a couple of especially terrifying-looking movies that he promptly bought with the remainder of his money.

Outside of the store, he found his twin sitting on a nearby bench, holding the hair clips he bought for Melody in his hand. A look of happiness tinged with a touch of worry rested on his features. When he saw Belphie’s shoes approaching, he quickly stuffed the item away, collected up all their shopping bags, and rose to his feet.

“What’d you get?” He asked, falling in line with the other to exit the building.

Belphie raised the bag and gave it a little shake, “I was thinking, maybe I should try to get to know the girls a little bit better so I picked up some movies we can watch with them.”

Beel beamed at him and nodded. Quickly agreeing to the terrible idea without even knowing about it.

The ride back to Twin Hills was much better. Belphie didn’t mind being squished in the back of the cab. For once, he was actually excited about making plans with the women. Even if he didn’t like them, he might get some enjoyment out of torturing them. Cassie would definitely have the worst reaction to the movies he picked, but Melody seemed calm by nature. If he could find out what got under her skin, he might just be able to survive this shit hole a little bit longer.

Back at the B&B, Martha stopped the two boys from heading up to their rooms right away. She wanted to see everything they bought. Belphie showed his phone really quick then leaned against the counter to wait for Beel to show off all of the items. Since he had nothing better to do, he started going through all of the apps.

Martha was grateful for them for picking the book up for her and offered to wrap the gift Beel picked for Melody. Beel still seemed really uncertain about the item he picked, but Martha assured him Mel would like it. Belphie scoffed and rolled his eyes. The woman took the new work pants from the ginger and promised to wash them for him before he started work. Belphie tried to sneak away, to head up to his room for an afternoon nap but Martha caught him.

“What’s in that bag?” She asked, gesturing to the one containing the DVDs.

“Just picked up some movies to watch with the girls,” Belphie replied.

He pulled them out of the bag and showed them off to the woman. She made a face while examining the front and back covers of both of them. With a shake of her head and a sigh of disapproval, she handed them back.

“Cassie doesn’t like scary movies.” She stated.

Belphie suppressed a chuckle and shoved the DVDs back into the bag they came from, “I thought so.”


	9. A Very Special Birthday

Beel stood in front of the full-length mirror that was attached to the interior of the closet door of the room he shared in the B&B with his twin. He was nervous, to say the least. His wardrobe didn’t offer much in the way of more formal clothes, leaving him to wear a pair of the new track pants he just got for work with one of the shirts Melody had bought for him. Mel seemed like such a mature and elegant person compared to him that he was concerned he would be underdressed for her party. He didn’t want to cause any issues for her there. That’s why he was nervous, at least, that’s what he thought anyway.

The night was a little cooler than it had been with autumn quickly moving in. Beel took out the warm, dark blue hoodie Mel got him and wrapped it around his shoulders, slipping his arms into the sleeves. He zipped it up about halfway and smoothed down the wrinkles in the front of the fabric and checked himself out again. Belphie walked up behind him, also donning a zip-up hoodie, and leaned against his arm.

The smaller twin had been quite vocal tonight about not wanting to attend. Over their quick meal that Martha prepared, Belphie quietly griped about it. The older woman sighed and told him he was welcome to stay behind at the B&B, but if someone should call the office while everyone else was out, he was expected to handle it. That got the younger man to agree to go.

The older couple left shortly afterward, heading down to the party a little early on the pretense that Martha was going to help the girls set up. That was about an hour ago and the party was probably well underway. As much as Beel wanted to show up on time, the issues with his outfit and his hair prevented him from doing so. After a few more minutes of fighting and failing to get his cowlicks to stay down, he finally agreed to head out.

The ginger scooped up the present he bought for Mel from where it laid, neatly wrapped on the dresser, and tucked it into the pocket of his hoodie. Martha was kind enough to wrap it up for them to Beel’s delight. It wouldn’t look half as good as it did if he had done it himself.

With Belphie at his side, the two made their way out of the B&B and down the quiet road toward Mel and Cassie’s home. On the way, Beel noticed there were a fair amount of cars parked in the bank’s parking lot. He pointed it out to his twin who figured the party guests were parking there instead of on the road. When Beel noticed John’s truck there as well, he knew what his twin said was true.

The pair walked down the sidewalk in the direction of the women’s home. There, they found Cassie talking to someone neither of them recognized. Even though it was already getting dark, Cassie looked brighter than ever wearing a short, spaghetti strap, pink dress covered in sequins. No matter which way she moved, her body sparkled, catching the light from the setting sun and the streetlights that had flickered on. Cassie’s flashy outfit had Beel feeling rather underdressed and self-conscious once again. He fisted his hands into the pockets of his hoodie and dropped his head, wondering if he had time to run back home and find something else to wear. That was until his eyes landed on the man standing with Cassie. He was clad in a pair of navy blue jeans and a green and white flannel shirt and holding a cigarette between his fingers. The redheaded woman quickly spotted the twins as they proceeded toward her and a smile broke out across her face.

“You guys made it!” She cheered and moved to meet them part of the way.

The high silver stilettos clacked noisily against the pavement. It was a wonder she could walk in them with the height of the heel being quite tall, but she did and she did it well. Her shimmering hips swayed with her steps and her red hair bounced behind her. Beel noticed as she stepped up to them that she had to have been at least the same height as his twin, maybe even a little taller. The taller twin returned her smile with a wave.

“Hey, Cassie.” He said.

“I didn’t realize this was a costume party. What are you supposed to be? A disco ball?” Belphie scoffed, quickly turning his gaze from the sparkling woman.

"It's a party! Of course, I'm going to sparkle and shine! I have to so I can wear these.” The woman replied, jutting her foot out and turning it from side to side. “You have no idea how much I've been wanting to wear these. Aren't they pretty?"

Beel looked down at the silver heels adorned with rhinestones that sparkled just like her dress. He nodded and complimented her shoes, knowing that was the polite thing to do. His twin rolled his eyes and pushed past Cassie, heading up the stony path to the front door. To Beel, Belphie seemed a little annoyed that Cassie didn’t retort and argue like she normally would have.

While pondering about his brother, the woman took a hold of Beel’s arm and pulled him in the direction of the house.

“Come on in! Come on in!” She squealed gleefully.

The storm door to their home was propped open, allowing easier access for the guests. Cassie pushed open the front door and led the tall man into her home. Once the door was open, Beel heard the sound of multiple people talking all at once with some faint music barely audibly playing in the background. When he rounded the corner and moved within view of the entirety of the living area, he found most of the people attending were in small groups. At first glance, he didn’t see the birthday girl anywhere. Cassie pushed him up to the little bar separating the kitchen and the rest of the main floor and took out a v-shaped glass.

“Want something to drink?” She asked, gesturing to an array of bottles sitting on the counter.

Beel inspected the different bottles but didn’t find a single one that was familiar to him. There were vodka and rum, whiskey and bourbon among others. Judging by the percentage labeled at the bottom of each bottle, he assumed they might have been the human’s version of Demonus. He gave Cassie a look, who resigned to making something for him. He watched her in amazement as she took one of the alcohol bottles and some orange juice and poured it into a little metal contraption then added some ice. She shook the thing for a little bit then popped off a smaller lid from the shaker and poured the mixed beverage, minus the ice, into a glass. Next, she took some red liquid and added it to the mix, giving it just a little stir. Beel eyed the strange drink, noticing the way the colors went from orange at the bottom to yellow at the top. Finally, she stuck a bright red cherry onto a piece of pointed glass tipped with a ball and rested it into the cup.

“Here you go! A tequila sunrise! One of Mel’s favorites, might I add.” Cassie said, handing the drink over to him.

Beel thanked her and took a sip. To him, he could mostly taste the orange juice with just a hint of something else. Whatever it was, it was delicious. He pulled the little pick from the cup and wrapped his lips around the cherry, pulling it off of the end. The sweetness of the cherry reminded him of how hungry he felt since the small dinner they had didn’t fill him up completely. He complimented Cassie on the drink she made before she took off, mumbling something about finding his brother. Beel should have expected Belphie to hide out somewhere. He never was a fan of large crowds or strangers, and here he’d be dealing with both. The tall man sighed and scanned the room again for any sign of Mel. He didn’t see her but he did, however, notice the dining room table was set with a large selection of finger foods. Beel’s stomach growled at the sight and his feet moved him in the direction of the table. A few people came and went, getting themselves a small plateful of food while the man hovered nearby with his own. He held some polite conversation with some of the people, but for the most part, he stayed to himself.

Once he spotted Belphie with Cassie, being handed a drink she made just for him, but before Beel could return to his side, the smaller twin took off. The ginger downed the rest of his drink and decided to ask Cassie for another one. He was feeling a little bit lonely, having not had the chance to really talk to anyone. She honored his request, quickly whipping up a second one for him. With his back to the living room area, a sudden chime-like laugh caught his attention. Beel turned around and saw Melody with her hand over her mouth to suppress her giggles, talking to one of the guests he didn’t recognize.  She was wearing a pair of black leggings with a short, white, flowy dress overtop. Her brown hair was left loose but styled with a bunch of loose curls. Beel instinctively smiled at her presence and scooped up the drink Cassie just finished for him. He wanted to go over to speak with Mel and wish her a happy birthday, but he was hesitant, not wanting to interrupt her conversation. The man she was with was fairly tall with slicked-back blond hair and eyes the color of a gas fire.  He wore a pair of rectangle-shaped, rimless glasses halfway down his nose. His attire was also on the more formal side, sporting a pair of black dress pants and a pressed, pale pink button-up.

Beel watched as the man bent over and brushed some of Mel’s hair off her shoulder. He moved his lips to her ear and spoke quietly to her, eliciting another giggle from the woman. A strange tightness formed in Beel’s chest. He almost felt angry at this guy for being so close to Mel. Beel gripped the glass tightly and brought it to his lips, keeping his eyes on the other man. He was so engrossed in the scene that was unfolding, he didn’t notice Cassie move to his side until she spoke.

“Have you talked to Mel yet?” She asked.

Beel shook his head. It was the first time he even got to see her since arriving and he wasn’t really sure he was ready to talk to her yet. Something about the man touching her arm and whispering in her ear was unsettling for Beel and he didn’t like it. Cassie eyed him closely and smirked at his reaction. Beel felt his chest tighten more and a sudden surge of annoyance overtook him. He wanted to march over there and remove that man from the party.

“That’s Jake,” Cassie said, leaning against the bar behind her, “he’s been crazy about Mel for about a year now, but she isn’t interested.”

Beel wasn’t sure how to take that information. He was strangely disappointed when Cassie mentioned this Jake person had some sort of strong feelings, yet he was happy to hear Melody didn’t seem to feel the same way. However, she didn’t really appear to have a problem with the man, Beel noticed as he turned his attention back to the small brunette. He watched as the blond man took out a small box, wrapped in silver paper and handed it to Mel. She unwrapped it and opened the box inside, revealing something Beel couldn’t see from his spot in the kitchen. A minute later and the man was taking some sort of sparkly object from its container and brought it to Mel’s ear.

“He bought her earrings. Knowing him, they’re probably expensive.” Cassie scoffed and crossed her arms.

Beel moved his hand to the gift he bought for Mel in his pocket. What he chose for her paled in comparison to a pair of expensive earrings. He wondered if it would be alright if he didn’t give her the gift tonight and would get her something better at a later date when he could afford it. His brow furrowed in thought and the grip on the package in his pocket tightened. Cassie looked up at him and sighed. She took his arm and started pulling him in the other woman’s direction.

“Mel, look who’s here!” Cassie called out to her roommate.

Melody turned away from the man she was talking to. The curious look on her face quickly transformed into a wide smile as the pair approached her. She was now wearing the long, diamond earrings the man gave her.

“Nathaniel, thank you so much for coming.” She beamed.

Beel returned her smile, towering over the small woman who stood in front of him. He wanted to congratulate her on her birthday and tell her how nice she looked, but before he could open his mouth, the Jake fellow stepped up next to Mel and wrapped his arm around her waist. Beel clenched his jaw, noticing the man's fingers curling over her hip. He no longer cared why he felt so bothered by this, all he cared about now was getting this man to back off.

"Sorry, I totally forgot to introduce you two." Mel squeaked, nervously looking between the two men. "Nathaniel, this is my co-worker, Jake. Jake, this is…"

The man cut her off, "the infamous Nate. I've heard a lot about you."

Jake held out his right hand, keeping his left grasping Melody possessively. Beel grasped the man's hand tightly and squeezed as they shook. Jake didn't speak but he winced slightly at the strength of Beel's handshake.

"I haven't heard anything about you," Beel replied.

The ginger didn't mean for his words to come out so harshly. He was simply stating a fact but the man seemed to have been bothered by it. Jake glared at Beel and pulled his hand back. The taller man just wanted a chance to wish Mel a happy birthday, he wasn't expecting someone there who would prevent him from doing so.

While the two men stare each other down, Melody was called away by another guest. She pulled herself from Jake's grasp and scurried off to the other side of the room. The two men followed her with their eyes. Beel was disappointed she was already gone before he had a chance to say much of anything. Did he say anything to her at all? Thinking back on it, he didn't. Before he could dwell too long on his thoughts, the smaller man spoke up.

"Word of advice, friend, give up on Melody. A woman of her intellect deserves to be with someone who can challenge her mind."

Beel could easily tell this man was insulting his intelligence. Sure, he tested poorly at RAD and often found a lot of things didn't stick in his mind as well as others, but he certainly wasn't so stupid he couldn't tell when someone was saying something to rude about him. Though this man wasn't exactly wrong. Melody was so smart, probably the smartest human Beel had met so far. Even though he still didn't quite understand what he was feeling, he knew one thing: he didn't want to lose to this jerk. Beel stared down at the man who was three, maybe four inches shorter than him. The man had a confident look in his eyes and a smirk that made Beel's blood boil.

"That's for Mel to decide," Beel said coldly.

Jake inhaled deeply, turned on his heel, and stormed off in the direction Mel went. The pride Beel felt for successfully pissing off this other guy was short-lived. Instead of leaving the party as Beel had silently hoped he would, he glued himself to Melody; all the while throwing dirty, smug looks at Beel.

The tall man clenched his fist tightly and sighed. There wasn't much he could do about it now. If he followed, one of two things would happen: either he'd look just as pathetic as Jake, or the two would end up in an all-out brawl, ruining Mel's birthday. Beel didn't want either of those things to happen so he returned to Cassie's side. She was happily mixing a drink for another partygoer when the man returned. He watched as the other person took the drink from her, thanked her, and walked away. Cassie turned to Beel and patted him on the arm comfortingly.

"Don't stress out so much. Jake always gets possessive over Mel at gatherings. To be honest, she hates it." She explained.

"Why doesn't Mel tell him to stop?" Beel asked.

He brought the glass he still held to his lips and took a long sip, letting the tangy taste overtake his senses. The drink made him feel deliciously warm inside, reminding him of the times he used to drink with his brothers. Cassie shook her head and watched him polish off the beverage.

"They work together. Mel is worried that if she says something it'll cause problems for the school. You want another one?" She gestured to the glass.

"Please," Beel replied, handing it over to her.

While Cassie busied herself making his third drink for the night, Beel leaned against the counter nearby and pulled his phone from his pocket. He hadn't seen Belphie for a while and he was wondering if his twin snuck out unnoticed and returned home. If he had, he wouldn't let Beel know. When he unlocked the screen on his phone, however, he found he had no new notifications. He was uneasy now without his twin at his side to distract him from the intrusive thoughts inside his mind. Learning how much Melody disliked how Jake followed her around, he had half a mind to force the other man to leave.

"I bet it takes a lot to get you drunk," Cassie said with a laugh, pulling him from his thoughts.

Beel looked up from his phone and took the glass from her. He couldn't answer her for certain. At home, he wasn't able to feel the effects of Demonus all that much. His constant hunger and high metabolism processed it so quickly he needed to chug a few bottles before he could get a buzz going, and even then it was short lived. But here in the human realm things were different. Without that constant hunger, he had no idea how anything would affect his body. That and humans didn't have Demonus. Their beverages wouldn't work on even the smallest of demons, but Beel wasn't one anymore. He shrugged at her words and thanked her, taking a sip of his third drink of the night.

Cassie spotted the device in his hand and smiled broadly, suggesting they exchange numbers. He nodded. The main reason why he got a phone in the first place was because she suggested it the night of the fair. Cassie took out her own phone from her bra and laid it on the counter as Beel handed his over. He watched her curiously, typing away on his device before picking hers up when it chimed. It took longer than he expected for her to put her number in his phone and vice versa, but when he examined his phone after she returned her, he understood why. Cassie had taken the opportunity to change the background to an image of her and Mel. The redhead's arm was around the other's shoulder and the two were smiling; although Melody looked slightly unamused. Beel traced along the edges of Mel's face with his thumb, losing himself in the blue of her eyes.

"I took the liberty of adding Mel and Martha's number too as well as the B&B, and I took Noah's from yours," Cassie said, tucking her phone back into the top of her dress.

"Thanks, Cassie." He said, keeping his gaze on the image of the brunette.

Belphie would probably scold him for having the girls set as his background but what was he supposed to do about it? He never really bothered with any sort of image on his D.D.D. Back at home, he was more focused on eating, attempting to study, eating, exercising, eating, after-school activities, and eating to be bothered with everything he could do with his device. It felt oddly nice having a picture of Melody around in his pocket whenever he wanted to see her. She was a great friend and he enjoyed spending time with her. That and she was a great cook.

The remainder of the party was fairly uneventful. Cassie introduced Beel to a bunch of the other guests, freeing him from the guilt of not having spoken to Mel yet. The nights he spent watching sports with John came in handy as many of them asked if he "caught the game" the night before. At first, the term was lost on Beel but the more he talked the more he understood what the person had meant. He spent the next couple of hours hanging out and getting to know more of the town's residents. He learned almost everyone there worked with Mel at the school but a few of them were friends of Cassie's who had been invited by the redhead.

Every now and then, Beel stole a glance in Mel's direction, and every time Jake was still by her side. The ginger suppressed his annoyance with more drinks fed to him by Cassie. Soon he was feeling deliciously fuzzy all over and he found himself laughing more openly than he would have otherwise. Belphie was still nowhere to be seen. Beel had done a search of the small bungalow a few times and always came up empty. He tried texting and calling to no avail as well. Assuming his twin went back to the B&B, Beel decided to stay at the party until he had a chance to talk to Mel.

The party began to dwindle before long, but Jake stayed, occasionally glancing Beel's way.

Cassie pulled Beel to the side and requested his help cleaning up after the party. He agreed, hoping that the other man would leave soon. Beel pulled off the blue hoodie he had been wearing the whole night and laid it on the counter. While Cassie scrubbed the glasses guests used for their drinks, Beel dried them and put them away. She quietly started to explain to him that Jake had no intention of being the first to leave. It seemed he was so threatened by Beel's presence that he refused to leave Mel's side until Beel was gone.

After the glasses were taken care of, Cassie led the ginger to the table where the remaining food was. With the wall separating them from the rest of the party, Beel could no longer keep an eye on Mel and Jake. The red-haired woman picked up a tray she just finished clearing aside from the container of ranch dip in the center. Beel popped a piece of broccoli in his mouth and munched away, putting whatever food that didn't make it into his mouth into a plastic container. He heard a little clatter and turned just in time to catch Cassie tumbling his way while still holding onto the tray. Beel grabbed her arms to steady her but the ranch container slipped to the side and collided with his shirt. Cassie gasped and apologized, moving the tray to the table. She grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the dining room and beyond the closed door leading to her room.

"These damn shoes. If they weren't so cute I would have taken them off ages ago. Sorry about your shirt. I've got some stain remover in the bathroom." Cassie said, now pushing the giant man into her private bathroom.

She dug out said stain remover and handed it to him, explaining how to use it. He stared at the bottle, taking in everything she was telling him. The instructions were pretty clear; take a cloth and dab at the stain then rinse with warm water. Next, Cassie took out a hairdryer and told him to use it to dry his shirt when he was done, asking at the end if he knew how to use it. He nodded and told her he often used one to dry Belphie's hair for him. The woman gave him a look with a smile.

"You're such a sweetheart." She said then mumbled a little more at the end.

Beel didn't catch what else she said but before he had the chance to ask, Cassie slipped from the room, leaving him to his task. He looked down at the stain left on his shirt before peeling it off and set to work cleaning it up.

When he finished, he pulled the shirt back over his head and put away the items Cassie gave him in the places he saw her retrieve them from. As Beel left the bathroom, he was greeted with silence from the rest of the house. Was it possible that Jake had left, assuming Beel was gone? If that were the case, he might have the chance to talk to Mel. He smiled at that prospect and exited Cassie's room.

Just outside the door, he was greeted with the vision of Mel sitting on the edge of the counter. She was now donning the hoodie he had left behind. It hung off of her, fitting more like a blanket than anything. The sleeves were pushed up allowing the use of her hands. Beel's heart throbbed in his chest. Seeing her in his clothes once again sent his head spinning. He didn't care as to why Mel had chosen to put it on, he liked the way she looked in his clothes. She was too adorable for words.

Mel hadn't noticed his presence yet. She was looking down at the present that had been in his pocket now resting in her hands. The corners were a little worn and the paper was wrinkled.

Beel pulled the door shut behind him, alerting the woman to his appearance. Mel looked up from the gift in her hand and blushed slightly.

"Cassie said you went home." She said quietly.

Beel shook his head; his orange hair swaying with the motion, "I wouldn't leave without saying goodbye first."

"I'm sorry we didn't get to talk during the party. I was… am… really happy you came."

Beel stepped closer to her as silence fell between them. Even though sitting on the counter gave Mel a sizable height increase, Beel was still quite a bit taller than her. Normally the top of her head just reached his collarbones, but now she came up to his nose. Mel had dropped her gaze back to the present and fiddled with it, not noticing the man closing the short distance between them until he placed his hands over hers. She looked up and met his eyes as a blush grew over her cheeks.

"You can open it," Beel said softly, with a twitch of a smile. "I'm sorry if it's not something you're expecting."

He looked at her ears, noticing the earrings Jake had bought for her had now been replaced with a pair of gold studs. He wondered why she had taken them out as it seemed she liked them a lot. Before his thoughts could take him further away, he was brought back by the feeling of her hands moving within his. He pulled his hands away and looked down just as Mel tore the colorful paper off of the gift box Martha had given him to use. Beel was nervous that she wouldn't like the gift he chose, or worse, she'd laugh at him for picking it. He wanted to take the box away from her before she had the chance to open it up, but to do so would be rude and might make her upset. His heart pounded in his chest and he placed his palm on the top of the counter next to her leg to offset the sudden wave of dizziness he felt.

Melody pulled the lid off of the box and made a small gasp when her eyes landed on the two clips inside. A soft smile spread across her lips and she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Did someone tell you roses are my favorite flowers?" She asked, taking one out.

"No, I just thought they would look cute in your hair." He admitted, his voice quieting just a little bit.

Beel was happy. Mel seemed to really like his gift even if it wasn't a super flashy, expensive set of earrings like Jake's. Melody placed the box behind her and handed the clip she held to him, requesting he put it in her hair for her. After which, she showed him how to open and close the clip and explained how to guide it into her hair. Beel snapped open the clip with his right hand and brushed some of the loose strands of hair from her eyes with his left. Her hair felt silky and smooth, sliding over his fingers and the skin of her forehead was warm to the touch. Beel held his breath, moving just a bit closer as Melody placed her hands on his shoulders and closed her eyes. His face warmed with embarrassment and nervousness when he pushed the clip into her hair and snapped it closed.

"Happy birthday, Melody." He said, pulling his hands from her hair.

"Thanks, you too." She replied.

Melody's blue eyes widened with the realization of what she said and she quickly dropped her head to hide her face. A second later her body began to tremble and a quiet snicker escaped her. Beel couldn't help but smile along with her laughter. He dropped his head, resting his nose in her hair, and placed his hands on her back, embracing her ever so slightly. When her giggles finally settled, she looked up at him with her eyes alight with amusement. Neither one seemed to notice or care at the close proximity of their faces.

"How is it whenever I'm with you I revert back into a clumsy, awkward middle schooler again?" She asked, shaking her head at her reactions.

"I don't think you're clumsy or awkward. I find it cute."

Melody moved her right hand from his shoulder and cupped his cheek, running her thumb over his flushed skin. Beel closed his eyes and pressed his face into her palm, reveling in the sensation of it all.

"Nate." She breathed, slipping her hand to the back of his neck and lacing her fingers within his hair.

Something about the way she used his nickname as opposed to the full human name that was assigned to him made his breath catch in his throat. "Yeah, Mel?"

Without any hesitation, Melody pressed her lips to his. Beel's eyes shot open in surprise. Before he could fully register what happened, she pulled away with a quiet smack. He swallowed hard as her face came into focus. A hunger, unlike anything he ever felt before burned in his stomach. His heart pounded hard in his ears and his face warmed with a sudden rush of blood. Mel stared at him, blinking slowly. Her eyes held a slightly glazed yet alluring look inside them. Beel couldn't look away even if he wanted to. He was completely mesmerized by this woman.

As if hypnotized, his right hand began to move, coming from around her small frame to take her face in his palm. He brushed his thumb over her pink bottom lip, smearing the small amount of saliva that rested there. Was it hers or was it his? Did it even matter?

Beel moved his face to hers, brushing his nose against her cheek. He felt her breath against his lips and smelled the scent of the wine she had been drinking all night, enticing him further. The inside of his mouth felt suddenly dry and his breathing came out in short, heavy pants. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers, returning the kiss she gave him. Mel gripped his shirt between her fingers as the kiss between them deepened.

Over the course of his long life, Beel had kissed numerous amount of demons and witches, but nothing felt quite like this. There was a strange sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach that only just begun to subside. His hands trembled slightly as he held onto her gently. The kiss wasn't all that passionate. Beel was worried he might take things too far and upset her, so he kept his tongue to himself; only parting his lips wide enough to bring her bottom lip between them.

Melody played with the hair on the back of his head, pulling at the locks and lightly scraping his scalp. She sighed against his lips then moaned softly when he kissed her again. The sound caused a strange tingle to shoot down his spine and he fought the urge to take things further. That being said, everything began to fall into place for him.

Why he found himself thinking of her out of nowhere.The way he always followed her with his eyes. How the world seemed brighter and better every time she smiled. The reason why he had the urge to throw Jake out on his ass for touching her. And why Belphie was always asking how he felt.

He liked her.

This realization sparked an interesting train of thought inside Beel's mind. If he liked her, how did she feel? He was new to this whole humanity thing and therefore wasn't certain whether or not kissing required feelings. Of course, in Devildom one could do a whole lot more than just kissing without any sort of emotional attachment to one's partner, but were humans like that? He didn't get to dwell on it before an excited squeal from behind him.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!" The familiar voice said.

Beel didn't even have to turn around to know it was Cassie who had found him and Mel embracing. Mel quickly removed her hands from his neck and shoulder and pressed them into his chest. She shoved him surprisingly hard, causing the large man to stumble away from her. With a thump, she landed on the floor and scurried off in the direction of her room. Beel called out to her and reached out his hand. His fingers just barely grazed the back of his hoodie leaving him with an empty palm. He was embarrassed by Cassie's sudden appearance but they quickly melted away into confusion. Why was she acting this way? He swallowed hard and walked up to her door, tapping lightly on the wood separating them.

"Mel, uh…" he mumbled, not really sure of what to say.

Her voice, muffled by the door, resounded through it, "thank you for coming tonight and for the gift."

Beel heard some shuffling sounds on the other side, followed by the click of the door opening just a few inches. Through the little space, he could see her standing there with her head down. She was small, but now she looked smaller than ever. Mel kept her eyes trained on the floor as she passed his hoodie through the narrow space.

"It's cold out there tonight. You'll need this." She said quietly.

Beel took the fabric back; his fingers brushing hers ever so slightly. When she withdrew her hand, she spoke one last time before closing the door.

"Goodnight, Nathaniel."

Full name again. Beel felt a squeezing in his chest he never experienced before. He brought his hand to his heart and sighed. There was no point in staying any longer. The party was over, it was late, Belphie was probably waiting for him. When he turned around he was greeted to Cassie, still shining brightly in her short dress, leaning against the wall nearby.

"Sorry, I forgot how skittish she can be." She said. "Mel's been through a lot. She hasn't told me much but I can tell she's distrustful around men. If you like her, be patient. She might take a long time to come around but it'll be worth it in the end. Though I must say, I was rather surprised to see how far you've come in such a short amount of time."

Beel's face reddened at her words and he turned away from her, pretending he was just focusing on putting on the hoodie. He didn't want to admit how he felt about Mel to anyone just yet. Cassie admitting the brunette was skittish and by expression how he felt, he ran the chance of scaring her off for good. He zipped the hoodie up, noticing it was still warm from when Mel wore it. Shaking his head, he pushed the thoughts of Mel from his mind. Right now, he needed to focus on going home. He felt dizzy and sick and all he wanted was to lay down on the cool hardwood floor of his hotel room and sleep off this terrible feeling. Cassie followed him to the front door, chatting idly about some of the gossip she heard at the party. Beel was hardly listening until she mentioned his twin.

"Noah's asleep on the swing we have on the front porch. Be careful getting home. Your tolerance is lower than I realized. It's pretty obvious you're drunk."

Drunk. Right. That's why he was feeling this way. It had nothing to do with Melody's sudden change. He thanked Cassie for everything and carefully left the house. Belphie was exactly where Cassie said he would be, curled up in a tight ball on the wooden swinging bench. There was a thick, fuzzy blanket placed over him to keep him warm in his slumber. Beel figured it had to have been Cassie who did that. He contemplated whether or not he should wake Belphie up or just carry him home. He chose the latter. There was a high chance that if Belphie was awake, Beel would end up telling him what had taken place that night and the ginger wasn't ready to incur the wrath of a half-awake Belphie. He scooped his twin into his arms with the blanket and carefully carried the smaller man back to the B&B. It was late enough that the town was already asleep and no one was on the streets.

In the silent night, with a snoring Belphie in his arms, Beel thought about Mel and the way her lips felt against his. He thought about the way she looked at him and the way she ran off when Cassie disrupted them. When he thought of Cassie, her words returned to him. He didn't know what Melody had been through so the least he could do was be patient and wait to see what she does. That didn't mean he wasn't curious about how she felt about him or what the kiss meant to her.

Beel sighed to himself and carried his twin up the creaky stairs to their room. Martha had kindly left the front door unlocked for them to return, but Beel had to trudge back down to lock it after putting Belphie in bed.

Before heading to bed himself, Beel had a quick snack in the kitchen and a glass of water. Tomorrow he planned on telling Belphie what happened and to seek his advice on what to do. The smaller twin was probably going to be pissed off at him, but he'd get over it one day.

Beel threw his tired self into the empty bed in their room. He was too exhausted and worn out from all of the excitement he didn't even bother getting changed for bed.

As his eyes fluttered closed and sleep began to take him, he thought of Melody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I wrote during Nanowrimo so y'all might notice a sharp decline in updates as I still need to write and update another fic for a different fandom.  
> P.S. I've been dying to upload this chapter for AGES! Like before I even wrote it xD


End file.
